Raising shield maidens
by AirborneGirl
Summary: After yet another fight with her father, Theawyn, daughter of Eomer and shield maiden of Rohan, gets send to her Aunt and uncle in Ithilien. LegolasOC
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **Just felt like trying my hand on another LotR story. My other one will be sadly delayed for a while; it just won't cooperate. Hopefully, this one will go easier on me. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I own several original characters, but not the ones you'll recognize from Tolkien. I can dream, though...oh well...

_Here we go...enjoy..._

**Raising shield maidens…**

**Chapter 1:**

Life had been good to King Eomer of Rohan. Thirty years after the now legendary war of the ring, he considered himself blessed.

He had witnessed the happy union of his beloved sister to an honorable man and frequent messages confirmed her continued happiness with her husband Faramir and their son. Not long after returning to Rohan had he found a bride himself. Lovely, feisty yet gentle, the king's heart was taken by Lothiriel, daughter of prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth. A year after their union they were blessed with a son, Elfwine. A few years after his birth they welcomed a set of twins, now both twenty-three years of age and last to be born within their family was their now fifteen year old daughter Reover.

His son Elfwine was his pride and joy, heir to his realm. Handsome and strong, he commanded the Rohirrim with a natural command. His soldiers loved and respected him about as much as they did his father.

Then there was Theodred, his second son and commanding officer of the royal home guard. Named after Eomer's long deceased cousin, he had strong resemblance of his namesake and though he was not first heir to the throne, he took his responsibilities toward his family and his realm pretty seriously.

Theodred's twin sister Theawyn, Eomer's daughter was quite a different story altogether. He both grinned and groaned at the thought of her. There was no mistake of whom she reminded him.

Shield maiden of Rohan she was and proud to be so. She could fight with the best of them and often sparred with both her brother and her father, sometimes even taking them on at the same time. But whenever Eomer would force her to stay inside the city boundaries of Edoras, she felt caged and restless.

She even resembled her aunt Eowyn in appearance, with the same strawberry blond long hair and same soft gray eyes that held a spark and a wisdom not too often seen in a woman her age. Maybe that was why she did not care to make any friends, female ones that is.

Even her mother, whose demeanor had changed from feisty to calm and understanding with the years, could not restrain her unwilling offspring. And even though the king of the Mark did consider himself to be blessed, right now he had had enough of this day to day quarreling to make Theawyn see his point.

At the moment, the female half of the twins stood before him, eyes blazing with fury. She had celebrated her twenty-third birthday with her brother the day before. Both had been given a beautiful stallion to ride on by their father, but while Theodred had been given a sword as well as a beautiful set of fighting knives from Lothiriel, she had been given a hairbrush and mirror. Though very beautifully made, she would have loved to get the same gift as her brother. To Theawyn, the gift was an insult, one more piece of evidence her parents, though they always claimed they treated her no differently than her twin, in fact did just that.

The only one actually who did not consider her too weak, too female to partake in any fight, was her brother. Like most twins, they were closer to each other than to their other siblings and while she adored her big brother and loved her little sister, she did not see the first too often and did not understand the second well. Reover was everything she should have been: quiet, demure and absolutely feminine.

Reover was now the lucky owner of the brush and mirror, while infinitely generous Theodred had given his twin his set of knives. The set which her father now demanded for her to return.

"Theawyn, this was a gift from your mother to Theodred!"

"And it was a gift from him to me. Is it forbidden for a brother to have a gift for his sister on their birthday? Or for me to share my good fortune with my little sister?"

"That is not the point, Theawyn. You are a shield maiden of this realm and as such, there are protocols to follow!"

"I care nothing for your protocols and little more for being a shield maiden! If you want someone to be decorative and presentable; make Reover shield maiden. She would love the honor!"

"You are the eldest daughter and it is neither up to me nor up to you to change the ways of the court!"

"Then pray tell, dear father, why are you king if you cannot change the ways of the court?"

Knowing she had said too much, she quickly bowed to her outraged father and left the main hall. Maybe a ride would cool her off.

Eomer wanted to follow her out, but a gentle hand stopped him. His wife, who had witnessed the ordeal with pain in her heart, now shook her head.

"Let her go, my dear. There is no reasoning with her now. And you could use some time to cool down yourself."

The king shook his weary head, knowing his wife was probably right. Suddenly, his regards for Theodred (may the Gods bless his soul) went up a notch as he remembered the same quarrels between his uncle and his own sister a generation ago. He bit back a grim smile as Eowyn's frequent letters told him she was very calm and mature these days, letters which were belied by the ones he received from his brother-in-law and his nephew, claiming their wife and mother had not eased down one bit and was often found sparring with guards, guests and even King Aragorn whenever he and his wife Arwen would visit their home in Ithilien.

It gave him little hope of ever ensnaring the headstrong creature who had just left the room, balancing on the edge of insult.

A thought than hit him: maybe some time away from Edoras, from Rohan even, would settle her down. And where else should he send her than to his sister? Surely she would hardly learn to be a demure, sensible lady at the hands of Eowyn, but being in the presence of other adults and the infinite female beauty of Lady Arwen might change her look on this world and quench her thirst for adventure. And perhaps, even if he himself could not, Aragorn could teach her of the hardships of ruling a realm and she might actually learn to appreciate what her father tried to do on a daily basis.

He discussed his decision with his wife, who readily agreed. They would tell her after dinner, she would leave the day after tomorrow.

Blissfully unaware of her eminent leave, Theawyn rode her new horse to the very outskirts of the city, stopping only when she reached the royal home guards. They greeted her with the reference she deserved as a princess, though they were not surprised to find her there as it was not the first time, though most other times she would be accompanied by her brother, their commanding officer.

"Hail, Theawyn, king's daughter!"

"Hail to you, Barrad."

Barrad was the second officer in command, with years of experience and she regarded him as the father she wanted to have. Brave and stern, yet just and kind once you got to know him, Barrad was the warrior her father had been before royal duties had kept him away from any battlefields.

Sometimes Theawyn thought she could see regret in her father's face whenever Barrad would give a personal report to him. Regret that his riding days with the Rohirrim were over. It frustrated Theawyn that her father did not understand her own desires as he had experienced the thrill of the fight for himself and obviously missed it. Why did he begrudge her a day of honor with her sword?

"What brings you to our settlement, my Lady? Are the walls of Meduseld closing in on you yet again?"

Should she tell him about the fight with her father? She was desperate for someone to talk to, someone to understand, but she was acutely aware that even though Barrad would be kind and understanding, he had pledged his allegiance to her father long time ago and would not wish to hear her speak ill of a king who was truly beloved by soldiers and citizens alike, even if she was not just a subject but a daughter.

As a king, she respected her father, was sometimes even in awe of him as he presided courts and judged situations as well as people with quiet determination and with great compassion. He was swift with actions, yet careful with words.

According to the majority of the people in Rohan, Eomer was the best king their realm had had in centuries and Theawyn was willing to agree. And yet…she would gladly give up her residence in the palace in trade for a free life among the brave Rohirrim soldiers.

She answered the officer with the truth, even if it was only the half of it.

"Meduseld, beautiful as it is, can sometimes choke me, good sir. And I was looking for an excuse to get used to Albion here."

She patted the sleek neck of her horse, indeed a wonderful gift. If she did not know any better, she could have mistaken him for a descendant from the Maeras. But even great horsemen like the people of the Mark had never had the opportunity to ride one of the legendary animals. Though her father had told her that the wizard Gandalf, responsible for returning sanity to her great-uncle Theoden and one of the nine of the Fellowship, rode Shadowfax, one of the Maeras. She wished she could have seen it, but Gandalf had sailed with the elves somewhat years ago. Yet, Albion would do her just fine and she could not wish for a more beautiful horse than him.

She talked with Barrad for a few more moments, until the setting sun told her it was time to return. Though she could get away with a lot, being late for dinner was seriously frowned upon and with her latest argument, this might be the straw that broke the camel's back. She would not call her father's anger upon herself again.

Reluctantly, she bid her goodnight to the guards and guided Albion back to the palace, where she arrived just in time to clean up before her chambermaid announced dinner was about to be served.

In the dining room, her father raised an eyebrow at the sight of her riding attire as she did not have enough time to change into a more appropriate outfit. Her kid sister gasped in horror. Ever being the girly-girl, her dress was immaculate, her light blonde hair braided and adorned with flowers. Theawyn could not help herself and stuck out her tongue at Reover, who again sat agape at her big sister's atrocities. Her mother shot her a warning glance. A same one was cast at her oldest brother Elfwine, who stifled a grin. Her father merely nodded to her chair, his face void of any expression, but his eyes clouded over as he controlled his temper with mounting difficulty.

Not taking any more chances, Theawyn bit her tongue and sat down next to Reover, ignoring her sister's gasps and muttered insults, varying from 'you stink of horses' to 'you are so smelly, you could even make an orc gag'. When the youngest princess understood her older sister could not be provoked today, she blissfully shut up before Theawyn would stab her with her fork.

Halfway through the rather uncomfortably silent meal, her father addressed her in a tone which did not allow any disregards.

"Theawyn…your mother and I decided you could use a trip. You will visit your aunt Eowyn and uncle Faramit in Ithilien. You will leave day after tomorrow. Two Rohirrim soldiers are to accompany you. I already sent out one of my fastest riders to forewarn my sister of your arrival."

Though he tried to make it sound as a vacation, a treat, Theawyn knew it was meant as a punishment: her father was tired of her and now sent her away. This was no vacation; this was exile and she could not for the life of her understand how he could do this to her. Having been exiled himself in the dark days of the wizard Saruman and his accomplice Grima Wormtongue, of whom she had heard many a dreadful story, she never thought Eomer capable of a punishment like this.

Tears filled her eyes as she automatically looked around her for support from Theodred, remembering then that he opted to have a belated birthday dinner with the men from his platoon. Without him there as an emotional backup, she gulped and faced her father again. Her voice was nothing but a mere whisper as she addressed him, pleading with him to reconsider, to allow her to stay.

"Father…I have never met my aunt and uncle…I might not be welcome. I realize I have spoken harsh words to you and I have been anything but a dutiful daughter, but I beg you not to send me away from my people. How could you choose exile as a punishment when you yourself had to suffer through it all these years ago? Have you forgotten?"

"No, my child, I have not, nor do I think these circumstances are even remotely comparable to mine those days. The land is not at war and your stay is not a permanent exile, though you may wish to think it is."

He put down his napkin and raised to walk over to his child's chair. Kneeling next to her, he took her shaky hands in his own. It was the gaze of a loving parent that fell on hers and she swallowed. Again, she might have misjudged him.

"My dear daughter…please do not consider this a punishment. My sister and you have a lot in common and she will be pleasant company to you. Inside the borders of our country, much as I know you love it, you have grown weary and restless and I have seen it. You are young, Theawyn, the realm has no dire need for a shield maiden these days. If I were to allow you to spread your wings, see more of this earth before duties bind you to the palace again, now would be time to do so. So now I will let you go.

Besides, this will not be just a trip for you. I have reports to send to Kind Elessar of Gondor and I need you to bring them to him. I seek his advice and perhaps his help in a trading matter and by sending a high placed representative such as yourself I can guarantee the message will get the attention it deserves."

Resigning to her obvious fate, Theawyn stood and Eomer rose as well.

"I will not let you down, Father."

"I know you will not. Now, take some rest and figure out what you want to take with you. I suggest you ride in light armor during the day, take a coat with you for the cold nights and some dresses for your stay."

At her disgusted look at the mention of the word 'dresses', her father gave her a warning glance.

"You will take them and you will wear them. No child of mine will look anything but fitting the position she holds in my realm. Do you hear me?"

"Yes father, I will take the dresses with me and yes, when appropriate, I will wear them. But you cannot make me like them."

To her surprise, her father laughed and put his arms around her.

"I will miss you, dearest child of mine. As much as I still miss my sister every day. Though your beauty surpasses even hers."

"Now father, you are making me blush."

"You, blush? Such a girlish phenomenon? Never!"

_Good? No good? Let me know..._


	2. Chapter 2

_And another chapter to enjoy. Usual disclaimers apply._

**Chapter 2:**

The next morning Theawyn found out she had been dismissed from doing her daily chores so she had enough time to pack and say goodbye to the few friends she had. Much to her younger sister's dismay, as Reover was now the one to take over whatever was on her sibling's to-do list.

After breakfast with only her mother and a scowling Reover, Theawyn set out to meet her twin, finding Theodred sparring with Nadaul, one of his best friends and a young officer in his home guard platoon. Reluctantly, she approached them. Though she loved to see her brother in action, she did not feel very comfortable in the company of Nadaul, sensing the young man took a liking to her when she felt absolutely nothing for him. She did not really dislike him all that much, but she did not harbor any kind of romantic feelings for him either.

It had been a constantly returning subject of friendly jest between her and her twin. She never discussed her love life (or, as was the case, the total lack thereof) with anybody else but Theodred, and though he often teased her, he also provided her with some much needed support.

Men had been after her hand (or that much more) from the time she had grown into the body of an adult. Trained with the sword as she was, her body was lithe and well-formed and though a head shorter than her brother, she matched his strength and skills easily. It had certainly attracted the attention of many a wannabe suitor. But the eldest princess was not interested.

It was not that she did not like men, or did not enjoy their company. In fact, most of her friends were male. But she regarded them as she did Theodred; they were brothers in arms and nothing more. And as soon as those men brave enough to seek romance approached her, did they get burned. For more than a lover, more than a suitable husband did Theawyn need her independence.

Luckily, her parents left the subject mostly alone, though that had not always been the case. After one particular painful conversation with her mother, it had been her father who had come to her room to calm her. Much to her surprise, he seemed to understand her lack of interest in men.

In that very rare moment of total understanding between them, her father had related the story of her aunt and uncle to her some time, telling her how Eowyn's spirit had not burnt down, how she had not been forced into submission upon meeting Faramir. And that she was better to await the man who could install such a feeling within her heart rather than to settle down because she felt obligated to.

As Nadaul smiled a positively lovesick smile at her, she just rolled her eyes and thought of her father's wise words. If there was any feeling this boy stirred in her, it was not one of satisfaction. The only way she could be satisfied by him would be if she were allowed to wipe the smile of his face with her boots.

Careful only to address her brother, she ignored the look on the face of his sparring partner, pretending not to see his chagrined expression as she continued to ignore him.

"Theodred, mind if I have a word with you?"

"Only if you take Nadaul's place, dear sister, as he is obviously at the end of his tether."

Wanting to prove him wrong, Nadaul hauled at Theodred, who blocked the attack swiftly and tackled the other men, who fell, cursing under his breath. Theawyn did not even try to hide her glee as she saw the ignorant fool fall flat on his backside in what had been without a doubt, a pathetic attempt to impress her. Feeling slightly guilty, she extended her hand to help him up, but he refused to accept it and scrambled on his feet by himself. Her brother, ever trying to be the diplomat, slapped his friend on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Nadaul, but I ask you to shower and return to the rest of the platoon as to give me a private moment with my sister."

Nadaul, now the one ignoring her, nodded and saluted his commanding officer and left the room. Theawyn took her stand in his place and as she blocked Theodred's first attempt to hit her, he asked between breaths:

"Not that I do not fully enjoy beating the hell out of you, dearest twin, but what did you wish to discuss with me?"

"First of all; in your dreams, baby brother (she was the oldest twin by ten minutes) and the reason I wish to talk to you is that I am about to leave Rohan."

Taken by surprise at her statement, Theodred forgot to anticipate her counterattack and she floored him easily. Laughing, she helped him up and handed him a canteen of water which he took gratefully. After taking some sips and handing it back to her, he grabbed a towel and while wiping his face, he sat down on a low bench and patted the space next to him, indicating she should sit there.

Once she was seated, he glanced over at her as if trying to assess her mood after dropping him a bomb like that. There could of course be only one reason for the mess she had gotten herself into. Sisters…cannot live with them, cannot count on them to keep the peace whenever you are not around to prevent them from sticking their feet inside their mouths.

"Okay, what fight between you and father did I miss this time?"

Feeling a little embarrassed now that she had had ample time to mull things over, she recounted the entire horrible afternoon to her brother, who pulled her into a hug by the time she was done. Being the thoughtful one of the two of them, Theodred mulled over his answer before lifting Theawyn's head from his shoulder.

"Sounds to me like father is doing you a favor rather than send you away for punishment. He has a point, Thea (he was the only one who could shorten her name without the risk of having some limbs severed), you are becoming restless and you should see more of this world while you can. I will miss you and I envy you your journey."

"Can you not come along?"

She knew the answer before he gave it to her. Sadly, he shook his head.

"The royal home guard needs to train some new recruits this coming months and I will have my hands full with dad. This will not be a time when father will allow me to leave my station for an extended period."

Dismayed by his answer, she hung her head, fiddling with the straps of her tunic. Until another thought hit her.

"I guess you are right, but maybe we can ask father if you could be one of my escorts! At least the traveling will be much more pleasant with you around."

"Thanks for the compliment dear sister, but with Barrad second in command I will have to leave him behind and the others are neither trained nor equipped for long travels. All save one…"

He glanced at the door leading to the showers and Theawyn's heart dropped as she figured out what he meant. Indeed there was only one soldier among the royal home guard who was always to accompany her brother. She swallowed hard as she tried to come to a decision.

She could ride with some anonymous soldiers and while she was certain they would keep her safe (not that she would actually need them to keep her safe); the trip would be boring as she suspected they would not try to strike up a conversation with a member of their royal family, not to mention a female.

Or she could ride with her brother if their father would allow it and have some fun during their days on their way to Ithilien, but then she would have to deal with that wretched Nadaul. She was not sure she would not at least try to reduce him to a eunuch before they would reach their destination. But then again, if she could make it look like an accident…

"Very well brother, I will put up with the unpleasant company of your little lieutenant friend if that means I can enjoy yours."

Grinning, Theodred pulled her into a bear hug.

"In that case, we should ask father for his permission. Better yet, let me do it."

He stood and gave her another smile.

"You go ahead and pack whatever you need to take with you. I will find you in your room after I have talked to father."

She nodded and headed off in the direction of the bedrooms, while Theodred ventured out into the main hall in search of Eomer.

He found him in discussion with Féamund, one of his advisors and respectfully, he awaited his turn. After a few minutes, Eomer nodded to the other man, handed him some notes and bade him goodbye. Then he looked up and spotted his son lingering at the entrance.

"You wish to speak to me, my son?"

"Yes father. I have a request to make for both me and Theawyn."

Eomer regarded his son and immediately understood what was coming next. He sighed. His twin children had always been close and he knew how much his son would miss his favorite sibling. He would not begrudge them a last travel together, however much he would need Theodred here to train the home guard. Ten or eleven more days of waiting would not hurt anybody, as he figured it would take them about a five days ride to get to Ithilien. Coming to this quick decision, he turned to the patiently waiting young man. Such a contrast between them, he mused, but such a bond nonetheless.

"Let me guess; your sister informed you about her visit to your aunt Eowyn and now you want to be one of her companions on her trip to Ithilien?"

"Father, I know you count on me to train the recruits, but Barrad can do that just as well and I can take over from him once I return."

"Have you discussed this matter with him?"

The guilty look appearing on his son's face told him he had not.

"Go do that first, then. If he agrees, I see no reason why you could not escort your sister to Ithilien, though I do expect you to return once she is safe within the country's boundaries. This is no vacation time for you, I am afraid."

"I promise you father I do not regard it as such and I will return as fast as I can."

"Very well then. Arrange your leave with Barrad and have him report to me so we can go over some details."

"Thank you father."

He bowed quickly and wanted to leave the room when his father's voice called him back.

"Theodred?"

"Yes father?"

"I know you will miss your sister, but this is not a punishment. You should know that."

"I do know that, father. And so does Theawyn. But I will miss her and I am grateful for your permission to see her off."

His father nodded, indicating their conversation was over. Theodred first set out to meet Barrad and once he had the other officer's consent, he rode back to the castle on his new horse Anvil, brother of Theawyn's horse Albion.

He found his twin exactly where she told him she would be, packing a few belongings into a leather saddlebag, cursing while trying to find out how to take all she wanted to take. An array of items of clothing, among which several pieces her parents would not approve of, lay strewn on her bed. Again using a curse that would make an orc twitch, she tried to fold a silken night gown, but the slippery fabric had a will of its own.

"Oh what the heck!"

She tossed the offending garment into the bag. It would be crumpled no doubt, but she supposed she could fix it once she got there. She hated packing anyways. So concentrated was she on the task at hand that she did not notice Theodred entering her room, though he had knocked. His calloused hand trailed the lacy hem of the distinctively feminine garment with a smirk.

"Such a pretty gown, sister dearest. I am sure Nadaul would love to see you wear it."

"I would sooner poke his eyes out than grant him such an honor. And since when do you enter without knocking?"

"I did knock, you were just too busy cursing your fate to hear it."

She looked up at him and nodded when she saw his sincere look. When needed, Theodred could lie through his teeth, but never to her; she knew him too well.

"I am sorry, Theo (she used the abbreviation as well, but only when she was sure they were alone) but now that you are here and mentioning that piece of orc dung, I suspect father granted you permission to accompany me?"

"He did. I guess he figured he should show our family that he is capable of raising at least one perfect child."

"What, is Elfwine coming too?"

"Very funny. Now, keep on packing and I will go do the same. Oh, and before I forget, I heard mother is planning a rather fine farewell feast in your honor so you might want to make an effort and dress nicely tonight. See you there."

She groaned at the thought, but knew he was right. She would not disgrace her mother again by appearing in rags.

She snorted when she spotted her nightgown and remembered her brother's jest. No, Nadaul would never get to see her in this. But then again, would any man ever? Sometimes she did wonder about that, if it was normal to have only her father and brother's as men she liked, but never to have fallen in love. But then the words of Eomer drifted back into her thoughts and she sighed.

Her father was right. Unless she fell in love as completely as her aunt Eowyn had, she would not get herself a man.

_Like it? Don't like it? Fill me in..._


	3. Chapter 3

**AN**: After exactly 2 reviews (thanks for that, both of you) that told me this story would work, I'll let it run for now. So here are two more chapters to enjoy...

**Disclaimer**: My name's not Jackson and not Tolkien either. I don't own anything related to LOTR or the characters, except for the original ones.

On with the story...

_Dearest sister,_

_When this letter reaches you by the hands of one of my messengers, I hope it finds you and your family well and in good health._

_I kindly ask you to accept my apologies for the rather short note, but I have an urgent request for you. I am sending my daughter Theawyn to you. She is at an age where it is getting increasingly harder to keep her at bay. Her strong will and her lust for the fight and adventure do remind me of a certain someone and therefore I think you two will get along quite well._

_This trip is not a punishment for her, but rather an indulgence. I cannot ignore her craving for room any longer and I have witnessed firsthand what wanting to clip her wings could accumulate to. I have learned from past mistakes and will not do to my daughter what has been done wrong to my sister. The current shield maiden of Rohan is given a chance to see more of the world and I would be grateful if that world is at least a place where she will be safe with the people I love._

_Please take care of your niece, dearest one. Show her Ithilien, show her Gondor, take her to the white city of Minas Tirith. If it brings some joy into her restless heart, I would be forever in your debt._

_Send note out with my messenger with either your permission or with your refusal, though I know you would most likely not refuse my request._

_Greet your husband and son from me and if you see any of them, send my regards to Elessar, Arwen and whoever else I know dwells with them. A warm greeting too to the prince of Mirkwood, as I understood he too found a home in beautiful Ithilien._

_With all my love I remain,_

_Eomer, King of Rohan, Marshall of the Mark._

_Thank you dear sister-in-law, for your kindness and understanding, which I know are settling in your generous heart as you read this. Take care of my precious child, I ask you from one mother's heart to another._

_Love, Lothiriel_

Eowyn reread the letter that had arrived by a Rohan messenger six days ago. It meant her niece would be arriving any day now. She had no objections to her arrival, even found it somewhat exciting. She knew how much her brother loved his headstrong eldest daughter, but also felt sorry for him for having to put up with yet a second generation of female stubborn behavior.

Try as she might, even Eowyn had not lost all her zest. Even though her age was beginning to count as her reflexes started to waver, she was still in excellent condition and her body showed little change in appearance. Neither had her husband's, she thought momentarily as she saw him approach her. Though the fiery red hair had dulled ever so little and his step was a bit more cautious, Faramir was still an impressive man to behold and her love for him had not faded for even a moment.

As prince of Ithilien, he had made the land bloom again, putting up every effort to restore its natural beauty. With the help of Legolas and all the elves he had assembled within the boundaries, their home was once again the most beautiful place in Middle Earth.

She herself was busy running the house of healing and raising her pride and joy, her son Elboron. Though raising him? The young man was twenty-eight years of age, long since grown and a proud officer, well liked by his men. He was the apple of his father's eye. Sadly, he had remained an only child, as she had fallen quite ill after his birth and could no longer bare children.

She had tried to give him a happy childhood though and he had become vast friends with the elf Legolas and the dwarf Gimli, who together had been responsible for his excellent skills with both bow and axe. And with numerous pranks, no doubt.

"My lady, I can see riders approaching the palace."

Speaking of the elf, he had just emerged from the gardens upon the hill of Emyn Arnen, where their home stood. Proud and tall, the ageless elf had proved himself to be a dedicated friend and a rather charming companion. His eyes had already spotted the new arrivals and sometimes Eowyn envied him for his many elven skills and his remaining beauty. For his marvelous abilities set aside, the prince of Mirkwood was a beautiful sight to behold.

His body was tall and perfectly proportioned and while he had broad shoulders and narrow hips, he was incredibly strong. Yet, whenever he moved, it was with an unsuspected grace and an almost eerie silence. He could be very pensive, but in contrast, he laughed easily and with a rather boyish charm. He was loyal yet prone to some sarcastic teasing. His storytelling was renowned and many children as well as grown men, elflings and humans alike would gather eagerly at his feet whenever he would grant them the pleasure of recalling one of his many adventures.

The moments he wished not to participate in conversations, his expressive blue eyes would talk for him. Those eyes…one could drown in their depths. They spoke of wisdom and deep grief, of longing and pain, of endurance and deep caring for his loved ones. They would cloud over with sadness, but then shine with mirth moments later. For his few closest friends, they were an entrance to his soul and within their depths one would find a gentle, caring being as well as a warrior ready to slay anyone or anything threatening those who dwelled in his heart.

It was a miracle he had yet to choose a mate, but even though he must get lonely every now and then, he remained cheerful and did not seem to be missing anything.

An amused sound coming from Legolas' throat interrupted her thoughts and with growing embarrassment Eowyn realized she was openly staring at him. Rousing herself out of her daze, she blushed and smiled at him. As not to add insult to injury, Legolas acted like he had not noticed anything. He was almost used to the staring of men in the streets, even when the elves had now been here for somewhat years and even men should have become used to seeing them by now. Totally unaware of his beauty, he did not even consider his looks as a reason for the continued gawking, nor did he notice it were mostly girls gaping after him with dreamy eyes.

"My apologies, Legolas. Could you tell how many were coming?"

"There were three, with a banner of Rohan. So your niece has arrived."

Eowyn had informed Legolas, Gimli as well as the king and queen of Gondor about her niece's visit and Arwen had spontaneously decided a banquet was to be held in her honor. Strangely, there had been no awkward feelings between the princess of Ithilien and the Gondorian queen, even though the elven wife of king Elessar must have heard about the other woman's feelings for her husband.

Though Eowyn could now honestly say that by meeting Faramir and falling in love with him, she had no feelings other than a cherished friendship left for the man she had come to know as Aragorn.

Idly she wondered if history would repeat itself somehow and have Theawyn fall in love with Eldarion, the king's son and heir, though being partly elvish meant that despite of his age (he was twenty-six years of age) the boy was nothing more than that: a boy.

No, somehow she suspected her niece would not hold much interest in men, other than their skills as a potential sparring partner. But one could never know, right?

Just then, a guard announced the eminent arrival of Theawyn, daughter of Eomer, princess of Rohan. His grave voice made it sound like some horrible tidings were upon them and Legolas stifled a smirk. Then, he offered her his arm.

"My lady, may I escort you to the entrance to welcome your niece to this most wonderful of places in all Middle Earth?"

She smiled easily, all awkwardness forgotten as she accepted his arm. Together, they set out to the entrance of her palace.

Theawyn was grateful they had finally reached her destination. She never minded the traveling and actually loved the rides during the day, but the constant proximity of Nadaul had worn her patience thin and had it not been for her brother's interference and his constant companionship, she doubted she would have been able to remain calm for so long.

It was not like he had done anything wrong. If only he had! But his silent creeping around, his gaze as he tried to catch a glimpse of her body as she undressed behind some bushes…it had irked her. So despite of Theodred, who she would miss immensely, she was glad that their journey had finally come to an end.

She dismounted her horse, as did her brother and the piece of orc dung, leaving them in the capable care of the stable boys. Then she turned to the lady quietly standing on the steps of the entrance to a beautiful home. The resemblance was clear to all, so she knew without a doubt who the lady was.

Eowyn met them halfway and forgoing all normal formalities, she hugged the younger girl warmly.

"Theawyn…I have not seen you since you and your brother were mere babes. You look well, all grown up. Tell me, how fares the rest of your family? Your parents, your siblings?"

"They are well, aunt Eowyn. Father and mother both send you their love and deepest regards, Elfwine is happy and healthy and fairly busy commanding the Rohirrim, Reover is… well…she is only a child and I do not know quite well how she spends her time when she is not in school. And as for Theodred, you will have to ask him yourself."

She nudged her twin and he stepped forward. Eowyn gave a cry of sudden recognition and hurried over to embrace the young man.

"My dear nephew! I was not informed you would come along. My apologies for not recognizing you."

"It matters not, dear aunt and I regret to inform you I will not stay with you and my sister. Father granted me permission to escort Theawyn to your home, but I am to return at once. He needs me to train new recruits for the royal home guard."

"A responsible task indeed, but I feel sorry to see you go so soon. For now, please come in, have some refreshments. Come, young man…I have not been given your name."

Quickly, Nadaul introduced himself, while Theawyn muttered 'orc dung' under her breath. A snort could be heard and with surprise evident in her eyes, she looked around her. Surely nobody could have heard her, she did not say anything out loud! Her seeking gaze landed on a strange figure standing next to her aunt. Scrutinizing him, she found he simply mirrored her actions. She felt herself get agitated and focused her eyes on his in order to tell him off for his insulting behavior. She was a princess, for the Gods' sakes, not some cheap hussy to be gawked at!

The moment her gray eyes settled on his, she knew she had made a mistake though. His eyes…they seemed to hypnotize her, lure her. She was extremely relieved when he, at long last, glanced away from her, though she immediately felt a cold creep through her bones while it was a sunny spring afternoon.

Who was he, or rather, what was he and what was he doing here? She was not sure she would like him, thought she might even be afraid of him. The sudden realization she might be frightened, set off initial sparks of irritation in her body. She, Theawyn, had never been afraid of any man! Whether or not this was just any man did not matter!

Noticing her niece and Legolas were trailing behind, Eowyn turned to find out what was keeping them. She found them locked in a staring competition and felt sorry for the young woman, knowing there was no way you could win a battle of wills against one carrying the wisdom of the Eldar. She decided to save her while she could.

"Please, Theawyn, Legolas…come further. I shall have the servants bring out some refreshments."

Only then did she seem to remember her mistake as a hostess.

"Oh dear, forgive me my clumsiness. I forgot to make further introductions. Theawyn, Theodred, Nadaul, this is our good friend Legolas, son of king Thranduil, prince of the Mirkwood elves. He rules the settlement of elves here in Ithilien and it is mostly thanks to him that our beautiful land fares so well."

Enthralled, Theodred stood and extended his hand.

"You are one of the Fellowship. My father has told me about your meeting with him and my aunt and great-uncle."

Legolas smiled and shook the outstretched hand of the young man. He liked him, saw much of the king of the Mark's features in him, but he totally lacked the brutality of his sister, who had not yet recovered from their head to head. Come to think of it, she did react mostly like her father…

"So he has told you of our meeting? Has he told you it was not a fairly pleasant one at that?"

"He actually did. He told me how you traveled with a dwarf and a ranger who was to be king. And he told me about an elf participating in a drinking game."

Now Legolas laughed out loud, remembering the incident well, though he thought he might be the only one who knew it all as Gimli strangely did not seem to remember…

After a short greeting with the boy who was called 'orc dung' by his princess, Legolas now again focused on said girl. To his surprise, she graciously admitted defeat and with a genuine smile she too stood and reached for his hand.

"Theawyn, shield maiden of Rohan. Pleased to meet you, my lord Legolas. And forgive me for staring, you are the first elf I ever met and to meet such a legend…"

There was no mockery in her voice. Now that her travel weary brain had fully registered who the unfairly gorgeous blonde creature was, her interest in him was not a game and she was ashamed she had even thought she could surpass his skills even in a quest as mundane and childish as a staring contest.

Legolas took both her hands in his, but instead of just shaking them, he brought them to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"It is my pleasure to meet the niece of a dear friend of mine and to cast my eyes on her incredible beauty."

Theawyn, who would normally only feel annoyed when people commented on her beauty (as she herself usually could not care less about her appearance), now felt her body tingle at the simple touch and was oddly flattered. What was it about this elf?

_TBC...Reviews most welcome_


	4. Chapter 4

**AN/Disclaimer: **Here's another part! Usual disclaimers apply.

**Chapter 4: **

What it exactly was about the elf, she would find out that same night. After a pleasant meal with her brother, Nadaul (somehow subdued by the mere presence of the elf), Legolas, her aunt Eowyn, her uncle Faramir (a very nice, though quiet man) and her cousin Elboron (taking after his father), Eowyn herself showed her to a spacious guestroom, looking even more large because of the huge open windows and a balcony overlooking the most amazing garden she had ever seen. She gasped at the splendid view.

Countless stars adorned the cloudless skies, reflecting their lights in the pond beneath. Trees that went up higher than she had ever seen before were placed just outside the balcony, yet with enough space in between them to be able to look down at the colorful flower beds and bushes in full bloom, arranged in all kinds of angles, with intricate pathways woven like snakes in between. There was a bridge over the pond and several benches invited the guests to rest there comfortably. So enthralled by her surrounding was Theawyn, she had forgotten about the presence of her aunt altogether.

"I suppose you like your room?"

Startled, she turned to face the smiling woman.

"Oh I love it. And I cannot wait until I explore every path in the garden. It is almost magical. Whoever designed it must be a genius!"

"Indeed he is and he will be pleased with your words of praise. You may tell him yourself, for you met him today."

Instantly she knew who Eowyn was referring to. Only someone with the grace of an elf could come up with a surrounding this hauntingly beautiful. Suddenly, she remembered with some pride, she was just a tad bit elvish too. Her grandfather from her mother's side had been part elvish, or so it was said. She had never much cared about her mother's ancestry, being so dedicated to Rohan, but now she promised herself she would do some research to find out how elvish she herself actually was.

"And so I will. He is quite amazing."

"I agree. He has been a true and loyal friend and he has worked hard to restore this place to its original beauty, as much of it was lost during the war."

Ah, the war! Her father could tell endless tales about the war, the many battles, but would usually only do so to Elfwine. Even Theodred was not always invited to hear them, as Eomer must have realized he would tell his twin, as they shared everything. Well, almost everything. Now, with her aunt and uncle as two more participants, she might hear more than her father was willing to tell her.

"Tell me more about the war, aunt Eowyn. Please?"

Her aunt sighed and did not answer for a while. A hot pain flashed through her arm as it always did when someone called upon her memories of those days. She had never told anyone about those pains, not even Faramir, though she suspected he knew anyway.

"I will tell you later, my child. Your stay will last many more days and nights. Now, I would like to get some rest and I suggest you do the same. A servant will wake you in the morning for breakfast in time to see your brother off, though if you wake up sooner, feel free to ask for something to eat yourself. Your private bathroom is through that door and I had fresh towels and bathing cream laid out for you. I hope you will have a good time in our house. For now, I bid you goodnight, dear Theawyn."

Eowyn kissed her warmly on the cheek and left the room. On her own for the first time in days, she felt oddly restless, though her body was stiff and sore from the long ride. She decided to take a bath to relax her and after spending some time rubbing off the dust of her journey, she pulled her silken nightgown on (the one Nadaul did not get to see) and let herself fall on the bed, feeling better, but still unable to sleep.

After tossing and turning for a while, she decided to give up. She rolled out of bed and pulled on her matching white silken robe while heading for the balcony. She looked down at the garden beneath her. It lured her, called out to her, beckoned her and she found herself unable to resist. Without giving it a second thought, she swung herself over the balustrade and grabbed the branches of the nearest tree. Careful not to tear her robe or gown to shreds, she climbed down the branches and landed on the soft moss. Theawyn giggled, feeling as free and careless as a child.

The night was still warm and she did not even notice her bare feet as she meandered the many paths. A small bench illuminated by a pretty lantern invited her to take a seat and she greedily accepted. Totally content, she breathed in the clean air.

"You certainly look like a vision sitting there."

She yelped in surprise as she had neither seen nor heard the elf approach. As he came closer, she scowled at him. Her heart was racing in her chest and she was not amused.

"My apologies, dear lady, for startling you. It was not my intention, but I tend to forget humans can not hear as well as elves."

"You knew I was here?"

"I saw you climbing down the tree and head over here. Forgive me my intrusion, but I wanted to make sure you were alright. These garden paths can be quite confusing if you do not know your way."

For a moment, she wanted to tell him what he could do with his concern, that she did not care for it, that she could take excellent care of herself, but somehow, the warmth of his voice and his startling honesty were refreshing and she already liked him too much to be angry with him. All she had to do was focus on the clarity of his blue eyes to know he was not trying to belittle her in any way. So instead of becoming angry, she was calm and at peace.

"Then I suppose I should be glad to have its designer join me. I have been meaning to complement you. It is an amazing place."

"I am glad you like it, and glad of your forgiving nature. I know you do not appreciate being taken care of or even being thought of as helpless. You are neither, but you are a princess and therefore people will always treat you with respect, even though it is not the kind of respect you are seeking."

What was he, a mind reader? Or was she this obvious? And if he was, what else would he find out about her? What was this with the elf? And why was he up anyway? Did elves not sleep?"

"It is a wonderful night, is it not? Too nice to spend in bed dreaming."

He did it again! With just a hint of a smile on his lips, he gazed over at her as he sat down next to her on the bench.

"It is, my prince."

"Please, call me Legolas. There is no need for formalities among friends."

"Are we friends?"

"I would like us to be."

Again, one look told her he was not jesting. She again extended her hand.

"I would like that too, Legolas."

As he had done that afternoon, he gently kissed her knuckles and involuntarily, she shivered.

"Dear Theawyn, are you cold?"

Well, it was certainly not the reason she trembled like a leaf, but now that he mentioned it, her gown and robe did only so much to shelter her and the night was quickly growing colder. Plus, she had forgotten her slippers and her feet were quite numb. He followed her gaze with his and gasped as he saw the blue color of the skin of her feet.

Immediately, he let go of her hand and took her small feet in both his hands, gently rubbing them, muttering in himself.

"Foolish, foolish girl. Just because the weather does not effect elves does not mean it will not effect humans. You should not be outside. I can only do so much to keep you warm."

He kept rubbing her feet, drawing her closer to him all the time, whether or not intentional, she did not know, nor did she care. A wonderful glowing warmth emanated from his body and she wanted nothing more than to be cocooned in his embrace. She did not understand herself…what was happening to her? Where was the shield maiden, the fighter, the warrior?

Again, his answer came without her having asked the question.

"There is no shame in accepting the warmth of friendship when it is given with a kind heart. I do not mind keeping you close to keep you warm and you should not fight it. My regards for you as a person will not be blemished as I do not consider you weak in any way. Strong is the one who accepts his own weaknesses, blessed are those who accept help, true happiness is only within reach of those who hold true friendships."

Where did he get all this wisdom? Oh right, he was probably thousands of years old. Very good looking for his age, though. Better yet, make that gorgeous.

"Thank you. I am two-thousand, nine-hundred and sixty-one years of age. And before you ask; yes I can sometimes read the minds of those close to me, those who have yet to learn to block them out. Forgive me if you find it intrusive. Most people I know are used to it."

"It does not bother me too much I guess. I know you will never take advantage of your skills."

He grinned. "I might."

"I do not wish to believe it."

Despite his arms around her, she shivered and Legolas stood. "Come, we must get you back inside."

"How? I do not think I can climb all the way back up and to wake my aunt and uncle…"

He turned his back to her. "My lady…your ride has arrived."

"You mean…"

"Climb on, I can carry your weight. We will go up the tree and nobody has to know you have gone missing."

She smiled, shrugged and climbed on his back, secretly thinking it was not such a bad place to be. Quicker than she imagined, he sprinted down the path and practically flew up the tree to land safely on the balcony of her room.

"As comfortable as you might be, dear lady, I regret to inform you we have arrived. You can let go of me now."

Oh no! She had again forgotten he could read her like an open book. She blushed madly and momentarily hid her burning cheeks against the soft fabric of his tunic.

"Do not worry. You are not the first one I carried back inside in the same manner, not even the first supposedly grown female."

"You mean…" Another full blown grin spread across his beautiful features, mischief shining in his eyes.

"Why do you suppose your aunt had me plant the trees so close to the rooms? I rescued her quite some times, as well as Elboron and Eldarion, not to mention two adult hobbits and various hobbit offspring and on one occasion even lady Arwen. You, my dear, are in the company of some very famous tree-climbing creatures."

She laughed easily and crawled in her bed, grateful for the warmth of the blankets. Legolas remained on the balcony, ready to venture out again.

"If you wish to sleep, I shall bid you goodnight, my friend."

She knew in an instant she did not want him to leave just yet. "Please, stay for a while. I am not sleepy and I enjoy your company."

He sat down at the edge of her bed with an indulgent smile. "Very well I can stay for a while."

After a moment of silence, he asked her: "Tell me about the one called 'orc dung'."

She winced as she had forgotten he had heard that. Damn his elven senses! The mere thought of Nadaul made her cringe. She shrugged, trying to look like she did not care. "He fancies me."

His smile momentarily broadened. "He has good taste."

Completely disregarding his none too subtle compliment, she scowled at him. "I do not like it."

Legolas raised one eyebrow at her rather vehement reaction. "Is being fancied such a bad thing? Or is it him you do not wish to be pursued by? What has this boy done wrong?"

"He is a boy! All he ever does is ogle me and the rare moments I spar with both him and my brother, he thinks he is doing me a favor by letting his guard down so I can floor him in two seconds flat. He regards me as an empty shell he can lust after, a princess whose only job it is to be pretty, but not ever as…"

"Not as a woman in her own right, with her own thoughts and skills. An independent soul who can fend for herself, yet would like the company of an equal, someone who provides a challenge, or at least tries to go for an honest match. You need someone to provoke you, yet someone you can trust not to hurt you."

Theawyn said nothing as the elf psychoanalyzed her, describing her better than she could have done herself. She was so preoccupied, she did not notice Legolas standing up from her bed.

"You had better get some sleep now, my dear friend."

At her questioning look, he added: "If it is a challenge you seek, I am more than willing to provide. Royal blood against royal blood, no holding back. Tomorrow morning after you have said your goodbyes to your brother, I will meet you on the training fields. Ask your aunt where they are. Bring your sword and we shall see about that challenge of yours. But you had better be wide awake. I am rather good, or so they say."

He bowed gracefully. "I bid you a good night with pleasant dreams, my lady Theawyn!"

He winked before sprinting across her room and gracefully letting himself drop off her balcony and out of her sight.

Sleep eluded her for a long time after…

_Pleeeeaaase, let me know if you enjoyed this part._


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: **Thank you for all your reviews, most of them being very positive about how my story's progressing so far. I can only hope you'll like the next two installments...

**Disclaimer**: I own a legolas fridge-magnet...does that count? It doesn't? Oh well...it's all I own. Oh...I forgot Theawyn, Theodred and Nadaul...they are products of my imagination.

_Enjoy..._

**Chapter 5: **

It was a rather disheveled and grumpy Theawyn that met her brother, the wretched Nadaul and her aunt for breakfast. She kissed her aunt on the cheek and hugged Theodred. Propriety demanded she were to greet even her unlucky wannabe suitor and so she did with the haughty air of someone higher up the ladder than most.

Sitting down, she took some strange looking wafer, eyeing it suspiciously. Eowyn explained.

"It is called lembas, elvish made bread. Just a few bites will sustain any human being for hours. And it is rather good."

She took a bite and smiled. It was good. Sturdy without giving one the feeling he had eaten too much. And if Legolas lived off this stuff, it was good enough for her any day. She turned to her brother.

"Theodred, when will you be leaving?" She refused to even mention the other one.

"We are to depart within the hour if I want to make it back in time. So I am afraid it gives us little time to say goodbye. Have you made any other plans for the day?"

Her aunt interrupted. "I could show you the gardens if you wish. But we will have to make it a rather easy and short day, for tomorrow morning we will have to leave fairly early for Minas Tirith if we are to arrive in time for the banquet dinner in your honor. It will take us at least two days to get there."

Theawyn felt kind of sorry to let her aunt down, but she was looking forward to her training with Legolas. Finally she would spar with a worthy component!

"I would love to see the gardens, dear Aunt, but Legolas promised me to give me some training this morning."

"When did you agree to that? I have not seen him all morning."

Oops! How was she to get out of this mess?

"My lady…my apologies for the interruption, but prince Theodred asked me to warn him as soon as the horses were packed and ready to go."

Saved by the stable-boy! She could just kiss him. In the flurry of activity ensuing around her, Eowyn forgot to delve any further and Theawyn managed to avoid eye-contact as she linked her arm with her brother's to see him off. Outside, he quietly ordered Nadaul to check their equipment while he said his goodbyes. He hugged his aunt and thanked her for her hospitality.

"Extend my gratitude to my uncle. I am sorry I missed him at breakfast."

"I will do that and do not mind my husband. Faramir has forever been an early riser and he is long since on his way to the border to oversee the reconstruction of a part of the wall that has been damaged by last month's storm."

Theodred then embraced his sister, whispering encouragements in her ear.

"Behave yourself, Thea. I will miss you, though of course not as much as Nadaul will."

She stomped him in the ribs. "Do not mention the orc dung again, you hear me?"

Then in a feeble attempt to hide her tears, she again drew him back into her embrace.

"Send my love to mother and father and to Elfwine and Reover. I will miss them and you and Rohan so very much."

"Sparring with an elf will not give you much time to miss any of us dear sister. I do not know when or how you got yourself into this 'agreement', but I am sorry I have to miss it. I bet it will be an interesting sight to behold. Should I warn my lieutenant here he has competition?"

To her horror, Theawyn felt the heat in her cheeks rising. Maybe she could mask it with pretended anger.

"You will do no such thing, little prince, you hear me?"

"Oh I hear you, loud and clear, dear sister of mine." He stuck out his tongue and before she could reach him, he had flung himself on his horse. His tone was serious and laced with sadness as he addressed her again.

"Goodbye, dear Theawyn. Until we meet again, may the graces of the Gods be with you."

"And with you, my beloved brother. Have a safe journey home."

With nothing left to say and not wanting to prolong the inevitable, Theodred turned Anvil and nodded to Nadaul, who followed him without a glance back, much to Theawyn's relief. As the riders disappeared around the corner, she sighed and went upstairs to get her training gear, as ready as she would ever be to fight the elf.

As it turned out, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. By the time she reached the training fields, Legolas was already there, laying out his weapons with the precision of a longtime warrior, which of course he was. Having heard her coming from yards away, he turned a scrutinizing gaze on her.

"Good morning."

"Good morning to you too. Did you sleep well?"

"Elves do not sleep much and neither did you last night. Are you sure you want to do this training today?"

She nodded. "I can take it."

He glanced her over again, focusing on her blade. "Let me see your sword."

She unsheathed it and handed it to him. He checked the blade, balancing it, moving it around with a speed that made her question her decision. Then, he shook his head.

"This is no good."

"Whatever do you mean? I always use this sword. It is of finest Rohan quality"

"I do not dispute the craftsmanship of your people, dear lady, for it is well known even to us elves. But this particular sword is no good for you. You require a smaller, more narrow one. And before you voice your obvious objection, the fact you can wield a sword too heavy and too broad for you shows ignorance rather than strength. The right weapon can improve your skills until it becomes an extension of yourself. The wrong choice will weigh you down. It is an important lesson if you are ever to become a warrior, my lady."

Knowing any further protestations would fall on deaf ears, Theawyn remained quiet while Legolas examined different blades he had laid out in front of him on a long table. After trying the fourth sword he nodded to himself, than handed it to her. "Try this one."

It was a magnificent weapon, a lot smaller than her own, with a sharp narrow blade. Elvish words were printed all over the handle. As she took it from him and started to wield it, it was quick to respond to even the slightest movements of her wrists. A smile spread on her face as she experienced the truth behind his words.

"It is amazing, Legolas."

"Then it is yours."

Stopping her practice abruptly, she looked at him, disbelief evident in her eyes. "Legolas…I would love to practice with it, but…"

"It is mine to give to whoever it seems to fit. Apparently, it has chosen you to be its master. I have no say in the matter and neither have you."

Giving up the fight, she inclined her head. "Then I thank you my friend."

"You might regret your words of gratitude before the day is over, dear Theawyn. Though it will slightly enhance your chance to keep up with me, you are about to learn some lessons you will never forget. Your sweat will be boiling by sunset."

"As will yours."

He only laughed at her. "Elves do not sweat and they do not grow tired easily. If you wished for a challenging opponent, you have found one indeed."

She firmly took a stance and lifted her blade until it sparked in the early morning sun.

"Then I suggest you stop talking and start fighting!"

Raising one eyebrow, Legolas too took his sword and calmly walked over. Much as he had begun to like her, she could use a lesson in humility. Said lesson would start right now.

Theawyn blocked his first blow with ease, as he did hers at her counterattack. She parried a second strike and a third one and for a moment, she was proud of herself, until she realized he was forcing her to defend herself rater than giving her an opportunity to even come near enough to strike him. So far, she had only struck air.

By the time they finally stopped for lunch she had more scrapes and bruises than she had ever had before and muscles she was not even aware a human being had were sore and cramped.

But most to her horror she was both sweating and panting like a horse ridden too fast. She uncapped her water canteen and drank greedily, coughing as she almost choked. Legolas spurted over to gently rub her back as her body trembled with hacking spasms. Luckily, they subsided pretty quickly and she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Thank you again, Legolas. For a moment I thought I was about to suffocate."

"Take smaller sips and try to even out your breath. And for the record: I would never let anything happen to a fellow warrior. Especially not to one who is holding up quite as well as you are so far."

Oddly touched by the sincerity of the compliment, she was glad her face was already red from exertion rather than the 'girlish phenomenon' of blushing, as her father had called it.

"Are you surprised?"

He shrugged "A little. I know I should not be. Rohan warriors are very skilled as is your father. And your aunt, might I add. You really take after her."

"That is a compliment indeed and I am grateful for both your praise and your education."

"Both are gladly given. But tell me: what have you learned so far?"

"That I am infinitely better at offense than I am at defense and that it would get me killed in any real battle."

He nodded, agreeing with her self-analogy.

"It is what happens when your sparring partners are reluctant to let you fall and lose a battle just because you happen to have royal blood."

"The truth if I have ever heard it. Luckily you do not seem to be as hesitant." She rubbed her sore arm, where an angry bruise was already beginning to form.

"You would never learn if I took pity on you. I do not believe an orc would think twice about slaying you." His demeanor changed however as she winced slightly, encountering a gash on her shoulder.

"Are you hurt? Let me see that." His hands shoved hers away as he slid her tunic aside to assess the damage. The gash was narrow and not very deep, but it was still bleeding. He cursed in himself.

"Forgive me, Theawyn. I did not intend to draw blood. Let me fix this." He found a small pouch containing athelas and some bandages. Expertly he crushed the leaves of the weed in the palm of his hand and chewed on them until it became a sticky substance. He then pressed it against the gash, again making her wince.

"I know this will hurt now, but it will ease the pain soon. Trust me."

"I do trust you, Legolas. With my life. This wound is not your fault and it is hardly fatal. I wish to resume our training."

"Are you well enough? We can resume in some days."

"You said you would never take pity on me. An orc would not."

"Yes, indeed I said that. Very well then, stubborn strong little warrior. Let us resume."

They practiced until sunset and indeed Theawyn felt her sweat was steaming instead of dripping. She was near exhaustion, but had stood her ground fairly well, even managing to strike a blow at her opponent once or twice. Legolas called it a day.

"You have my admiration, young one. But let us retire for today. We could use something to eat and you should get some sleep tonight if you wish to be fit for the ride to the palace tomorrow. We have a long ride ahead of us."

She glanced up at him in time to catch the towel he flung at her. His words only then registered her fatigued brain. "We?"

"Of course. I have not seen Aragorn and Arwen for quite some time and I was invited to the banquet dinner. Unless the guest of honor decides she does not wish to be seen in my presence in public."

"The guest of honor could not wish for a better companion. Or a better teacher, or a better healer."

"Thank you. I suppose your wound feels better now?"

"I am sure it will heal. It is not the first wound I have ever had, you know."

"It is the first one I have given you and again I apologize."

"They are not needed and I already told you that."

"Very well. I will not repeat them. But I do ask you kindly to wear long-sleeved robes for several days. I care not to be the object of your aunt's and uncle's wrath when they find out how you got hurt."

"I promise you nobody will find out. For now, I bid you a very good night." She barely made it to her room before falling into a dead man's sleep, missing dinner altogether.

_Like? Don't like? Tell me please..._


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: **And here's another chapter. Usual disclamiers apply...

**Chapter 6:**

Theawyn scowled as she twisted and turned in front of the full-length mirror in her guestroom in the palace. They had arrived late the morning of the day before and tonight was to be the banquet dinner. Wearing an evening gown for the first time in many a month made her feel somehow exposed, as these cursed garments always did.

Unlike a certain elf, Theawyn was aware some found her attractive. Yet, for all the known reasons, she did neither know nor care how to develop the more feminine side of her. Sometimes she thought Reover was only born as a compensation for her sister's total lack of female elegance. If her younger sister was a rose, Theawyn was a wildflower. Beautiful in a garden, but wilting when picked and put on display in a vase.

Tonight, she had no choice whatsoever and with a true warrior spirit, she would endure and survive. At least the dress was to her liking. Made of emerald green velvet, it had a tight bodice, long sleeves (she kept her promise) and a wide flowing skirt. Delicate silver embroidering graced the low neckline as well as the hem of the skirt and along the sleeves. With it, she only wore an elven made mithril tiara adorned with emerald leaves. It was her mother's and complimented her elven heritage. Of course, her sudden fascination with her mother's ancestors had nothing to with a certain blonde elf she was rapidly growing quite fond of.

Indeed, it was only the thought of his amusing tales during their ride over here and the idea of seeing him again at dinner that had sustained her this far. Sure, she had to admit, she liked the king and queen of Gondor a lot and their hospitality was unmeasured, but even after being here for a day had her walking on eggshells. She was bored and when she was bored, she soon became agitated. After that came fidgety and after that…she did not want to know, though she feared she were about to find out if someone, anyone would not soon wake her.

As luck would have it, she did not need to make another escape through another window. A soft knock could be heard on her door and upon her answer, much to her surprise, queen Arwen herself slid in. Dressed in a soft blue gown, she looked frail and only a glance in her eyes would tell a different story. Arwen was, next to Legolas, the second elf she had met so far and she found the lady in front of her possessed even stronger powers than her warrior friend, though she was just as warm and kind.

"My child, may I say you look wonderful? Are you ready to go downstairs for dinner? The guests are waiting for you to come in."

"Are they all already there?" The thought of being placed at public display unnerved her. She was not good at this. She would trip over her dress, she would make a total fool of herself and as a representative of her father's realm, such a notion was positively terrifying!

Sensing her distress, Arwen thought of a solution and smiled when an idea indeed came up.

"Would it make you feel better if I sent up someone to escort you down? At least it will give you someone to hold on to."

With an understanding tone of voice she added: "I know how slippery the stairs can get and I would not wish for you to stumble. Now, do you have a preference for a male escort? Your cousin Elboron perhaps? My son Eldarion? Anyone?"

Would it be too conspicuous if she asked for Legolas? Would the queen regard her undoubtedly blatantly obvious infatuation with him as weak, or in any way inappropriate?

She had again forgotten high placed elves can often read minds and Arwen as granddaughter of the powerful Galadriel was no exception. Yet, her suggestion came out very innocently.

"How about Legolas? I am sure he would be honored. Yes, he would be perfect. The two of you seem to get along very well. Wait here, I will go get him myself."

Great, just great. Was the whole palace to know she liked him? It was bad enough he himself could read her like an open book, but at least he was discreet and mindful of her feelings, though she had no idea if he would ever like her to be anything more to him than a pupil in the art of warfare. Probably not, though. He was an elf after all and her life was a glimpse of a shooting star to him.

But then again, if that was the way he regarded the lives of mankind, would he have so easily befriended Aragorn? She knew the king was of Dunedain descent and therefore would live longer than common men did. And maybe her elven blood, however little it was, would grant her a longer life as well. All the same, she would one day grow old and he, the elf, never would. She was not sure if she pitied or envied his long life.

She did have little time to worry about that. A soft knock again roused her out of her broodings and she turned. And gasped.

He wore a shiny silver tunic with black embroidery on black leggings. His hair was pulled away from his face by two small braids and a circlet of the finest mithril adorned his forehead. Normally a vision to behold wearing an ordinary tunic and leather armory, she had never seen him as the prince he was. It took her breath away.

He smiled warmly. "I know you do not appreciate being judged by your looks, yet tonight I must compliment you, little warrior. Your beauty will put every other lady to shame."

"You are forgiven this time, my friend. And may I return the sentiment full-heartedly?" Again he smiled.

"I did not wish to shame you either." His admittance came with just enough sense of humor.

"You most certainly succeeded." She was honest and he knew it.

Despite of all the shared compliments, she still felt nervous and in no way capable of hiding it. Sensing rather than seeing her distress, Legolas walked over and took her hands in his.

"Come now, Theawyn. It is not that hard. Put one foot in front of the other, nod, smile, etcetera. Like all other evenings, this one will end and I will be here for you all the time. And I have to insist on having the last dance."

"You make it sound so easy. I can never get used to it, no matter how many dinners are organized in Meduseld. At least back home I have Theodred."

"And here you have me. Will I not do as a surrogate brother for one evening?"

"So far, I might be inclined to say you surpass him. As a warrior, a healer and a friend."

"I am flattered, my lady. Now, let us not keep the crowd waiting."

He offered her his arm and she slid her hand through the loophole his bent arm created. He gave her another one of his beaming smiles and together they descended the staircase.

In the end, it turned out he was right. All she had to do was shake hands, nod, smile until her jaw muscles cramped and answer many questions about her family and her land. As a guest of honor, she was seated on the right hand side of King Elessar himself, who had Arwen on his left side and Eldarion next to his mother on the other side. On her own right side was Legolas, with next to him his best friend Gimli the dwarf.

Legolas had made the introductions and Theawyn found she liked the sturdy bearded warrior, though she (again!) had to hide her blush when he complimented her for keeping up with Legolas during her training session. She had not wanted to tell anyone about that, but Legolas had obviously not only told the dwarf already, but had been very generous in his praise of her abilities. She only wished he would not make her stomach flutter every time her name rolled of his lips. Those soft lips. Lazily she wondered what his kisses would taste like.

"…Wine."

"Excuse me?" Oh please, not again! Had he read her thoughts yet again? Had she been so far off she had not noticed him watching her? Oh please let it not be true!

He smiled warmly, not giving any hint to let her know if he had indeed found out about her little secret.

"I asked you to pass me some wine, Theawyn. Are you alright? You were leagues away…did you enjoy your daydream?"

In a feeble attempt to save grace, she huffed indignantly. "I beg your pardon, good sir, I was not dreaming. I was merely…distracted."

She handed him the bottle of wine and without asking, he poured some in her glass. She nodded gratefully, but reminded herself in time that drinking herself into a stupor during a banquet dinner was not a wise idea. So instead of gulping it down as she secretly longed to do, she forced herself to take only small sips.

Just then, Aragorn asked her about her father's horses and grateful for her way out, she started a rather pleasant conversation with him, glad to get a break from the gorgeous elf and the jumble of feelings he stirred inside her heart.

The formalities of dinner finally being over, the minstrels were asked to come forward so the guests could dance if they wished to. All around her, couples took their chances and Aragorn bid her a pleasant evening before turning to his wife and asking her for a dance. Soon, the king and queen were a graciously flowing couple in the ballroom.

Part of Theawyn wished Legolas would ask her to dance, part of her wished she had the guts to ask him herself. But a bigger part, the part that knew dancing, thought she was taught how to, was not her biggest hobby, secretly wished she could just disappear and save herself the humiliation of stepping on her partner's toes.

No such luck tonight. It was not Legolas, but Elboron, who approached her for a dance and she could not say no to her cousin. Smiling (always keep smiling), she accepted his offer and followed him to the dance floor. Once there, much to her luck and surprise, she caught on pretty well. The toes of the next prince of Ithilien were quite safe.

After her first dance, her uncle cut in and he too made a nice partner. Gimli followed after that and despite the difference in height, they danced well together. For the next few hours, Theawyn was kept in a constant movement by many seeking her out and even though she appreciated the attention as well as the compliments, she was glad when the moment came that the king announced the last dance of the night.

Her eyes instinctively sought out his and as if she had conjured him out of thin air by sheer will, she suddenly found herself facing him.

"You promised me the last dance, my lady Theawyn."

"That I did and I am glad you found me." She slid into his open arms and in a perfect motion, they waltzed off.

"You have been kept quite busy tonight, I had hardly a chance to enjoy your company."

She tried to assess his mood, hoping he was not angry or did not think she had been purposefully ignoring him. Though her sudden feelings for him puzzled her, she could not stay away from him if she tried. He drew her in like a magnet.

"Do not worry, dearest lady. I do not hold you responsible. It is the sad fate of the guest of honor. Besides…you and I will have plenty of time together."

His tone of voice was rather husky and she shivered, again trying to hide her blush. How many times would she have to do that? And why had he read her thoughts yet again?

In a palpably tense silence they finished their dance and the king bid everybody a good night, formally ending the party. With all people wanting to say goodbye to her at the same time, she momentarily lost track of Legolas, but much to her surprise, she found him patiently waiting for her in the far corner of the hallway.

"I know you do not need one, but would you mind terribly if I were to escort you back to your room?"

Need he ask? "I would be honored, dear friend."

She wanted to link her arm with his, but instead he grabbed her hand and entwined their fingers. She suppressed a surprised gasp, instead concentrating on her breathing. In and out, in and out…doing just fine, good girl.

At the door of her room, he let go of her and a small involuntary groan of disappointment escaped her throat. She knew full well his sensitive elven ears had picked up the sound, but bless him, he did not say a word.

Breaking the strenuous silence, he smiled at her. "How good are you with a bow?"

Startled by his change of subject, she managed to answer truthfully. "Not very good I am afraid. It has never been my weapon of choice. But I would love to learn." From him? She would want to learn anything from him, any time, any day.

He grinned. "Great. Then you and I will have something worthwhile to do. Training will start as soon as we return to your family's palace."

She nodded her consent, inwardly shrieking with joy. Even if only in the role as her teacher, she had been given the opportunity to spend time with him and she would not let it pass.

"For now, dear lady, I bid you a good night with warm dreams. Perhaps similar to the one you had during dinner?"

He winked and grinned and momentarily she wanted to slap him. Her thoughts were private and he had no right to read them. It was bad enough he preoccupied them constantly.

Seeing her fury, he bent his head in shame. "My most humble apologies, dearest Theawyn. It is wrong of me to tease you. I will make sure it will not happen again, but I understand if you do not care for my company any longer."

He looked so cute standing there feeling obviously very ashamed of himself, with his blonde locks falling into his face, she had forgiven him before he opened his mouth.

"You are forgiven, as you probably already know. Neither will I let you off the hook that easily. Those lessons were promised and I have every intention to collect."

He looked up again with mild amusement in his eyes. "That pleases me greatly, Theawyn. Again, I bid you a good night."

Then, as much to his own surprise as to hers, he kissed her hand, then her brow and then, as if he suddenly had a change of heart, his lips brushed hers in a soft, whimsy, barely there caress. Theawyn blinked profusely, but when her eyes regained their focus, he was already gone…

_Well? Waddaya think?_


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: **Did you know there are several forums/communities on this site that are only there to bash someone's stories? Did you know this one not only gets mentioned on one, but even two of them? I'm so honored! Really, I am. No, really...I'm a pest and I love to annoy people.

And for those people among you who do like my story so far and do have a fairly normal level this-is-just-fun and we-know-elves-don't-exist head on their shoulders, I'll simply continue

_So here we go… _

**Disclaimer**: You gotta hand it to Tolkien: he did have enough imagination to share. But he does own the characters, not me.

**Chapter 7:**

He had kissed her! Legolas had actually, really, truly kissed her! No matter how many times she repeated it to herself, it failed to register. Unconsciously, her fingers traced her lips as if she could still feel the impact, soft and swift as it had been. Like wine. He had said his kisses would taste like wine and it had. Sweet and inebriating.

Giddy as a schoolgirl, she waltzed around her room, too exited and too worked up to even try to make an effort to go to sleep. The dress she had hated hours ago when she had to put it on, would now surely become some sort of a relic and even her countless bruises were as caresses to her lovesick state of mind.

He had kissed her…and he had run away. With the subtle impact of a sledgehammer that afterthought pounded its way into her memory and suddenly feeling rather sick, she had to sit down. He had run, vanished as if the very ghost of Sauron himself was upon his heels. She had not been kissed a lot of times, but never before had a wannabe suitor fled from the scene of the crime. This was definitely not a good sign.

There had to have been a reason though. A plausible explanation. Could it be he was drunk? According to the tales she heard from her father (well, second-hand, coming mostly from Theodred), Legolas had not even as much as flinched during the drinking game with Gimli, not even after consuming at least two dozen tankards of strong Rohan ale.

Could he have been teasing her then? If he knew she was infatuated with him, and she had no reason to believe there was any way he could not know, it was a mean prank he was playing with her heart. But somehow she did not judge him capable of being this cruel. No, he would never purposefully toy with her heart like that.

But that left her only with one option, one she regretted to consider more than having him tease her: he had second thoughts. He regretted his one moment of weakness. He might be quite fond of her, but he would never give his heart to her. She was after all just a mortal being and even though he liked their company, he would not relinquish his immortal life to have what in his lifetime would be considered a short affair.

Then again, he might have considered her future as well, in which case that was gallant of him, but she could make up her own mind, thank you very much. And her mind was firmly set on him.

As she undressed and fell onto her bed, Theawyn vowed she would not let him make up her mind for her. She would have to confront him and even when he had all the time in the world, she had not. She had to be careful, but fast. And if ever she would show him her skills as well as her femininity, that time would be now.

She had brought more pretty dresses than this one and he had seemed to like her lacy nightgown too. Plus, there was no law that said a warrior could not show a modest cleavage...or bending over to pick up a stray arrow (she was a bit clumsy after all). It was never put in writing she could not give him a glimpse of her well shaped, tanned legs. A rip in her training leggings was fairly easy to be made. There were no rules against a little flirtatious smiling while sparring… With those thoughts, she finally fell asleep.

A few yards away from the palace, the object of her desire sat completely motionless high up in a tree in the gardens of the city.

Sometimes he wished he could be more like men. Or dwarves, or hobbits or any mind of creature that could actually sleep. Tonight though, not even the trance-like state of rest elves could have was granted to him. He had sought refuge in the tranquil peace of nature in a so far feeble attempt to let its soothing song lull him to rest.

He was a mess, thoughts and feelings astray in his foggy mind, like a spider's web without beginning or end, making it impossible to untangle.

In the center of it all, proud, tall and stubbornly refusing to yield, stood only one. For the hundredth time he wondered when the young human girl had fought herself into his heart and more importantly, how she had done it.

Elves did not fall in love very quickly nor very often. Most gave their heart away only once in their immortal lifetime and once bonded, they remained faithful. Therefore, the choice of finding a mate was a tedious one and it was considered wise to give it ample thought.

Of course, having a lifetime to think was what separated them from all other beings, who only had a glimpse of their time and could ill afford letting a loved one pass them by.

And now, he found himself being drawn closer and closer to yet another mortal soul. He had already given up his chance to answer the calling of the sea in order to remain with his closest friend, but while Estel had his affection and his admiration, the Dunedain had never captured his heart as completely and probably irreversibly as Theawyn had.

For the first time since he had witnessed her union with Estel, he understood Arwen's feelings as well as the complexity of her choice. Though she seemed to be happy with the path her life had taken, looks could be deceiving and so it did not automatically mean she did not have any regrets. He had never dared to ask. It was not his place to pry and he had never had any reason to wonder about it. Until now.

"No mellon-nin, I do not regret my decision, hard as it was to make."

Startled, he looked down from his branch to find Arwen leaning against the trunk. She climbed the tree with ease, thanking it for its support as she hauled herself up to sit next to him.

"I could never begin to understand men's preoccupation with sleep. And at such a beautiful night."

He knew she was making small talk to put him at ease, since she must feel his discomfort at her reading his thoughts.

Reading the mind of mortal beings was not as complex as doing the same with elven minds, since their shorter lives did not hold as many strong memories or emotions as did the lives of the firstborn.

Contrary to popular believes, reading a mind was nothing like reading a book. Thoughts did not come over as sentences on a page, to be picked up literally. It was not as much reading actual thoughts as it was filtering them by deciphering the surrounding emotions. He could sense fear, grief, happiness and love, however well hidden. He knew about one's anticipation, expectations, secret desires. Combined with spoken words either confirming or belying those emotions, Legolas could generally tell what was on a man's mind.

It took an elf with considerate powers to effectively draw out the thoughts of a kinsman. He held no such power, but had somehow always found it eerie to know Arwen did, though the knowledge of her heritage should have forewarned him.

Yet tonight, he might benefit from it. Maybe she was just the one he needed to set his ailing, clouded heart at ease.

"Legolas…I know what has been troubling you greatly. It has both me and Estel very concerned of your welfare, though he does not know the extend of your feelings for this girl. But he has seen the two of you together and he can relate to your situation. Tell me…does she feel the same?"

Were she anybody else, he would have refused to answer such a personal question, but with Arwen he felt relaxed enough to lay everything on the table for her to sort out. Besides, pretending he did not know would be futile anyhow.

"I have reason to believe she does, but she is just as cautious around me as I am around her. She is still young, even in human years and it is of course very understandable that the mere concept of someone living an immortal life travels beyond her imagination."

"As it does all of us Legolas, even the ones who have lived longer than either you or me. But I am afraid that question is only one piece of this puzzle. Does she know about your feelings toward her?"

He laughed humorlessly. "If she did not know before, she might have a clue now."

Arwen shot him a sharp look, warning him not to lie to her by omission. So he finished his confession.

"I kissed her. It was just a fleeting touch of the lips, but it scared me. I am ashamed to admit I fled."

Arwen suppressed a giggle but managed to look contrite upon seeing his positively glum expression. All business once again, she nodded.

"So what do we have so far? You think she has feelings for you, you know you have feelings for her and you think she knows about those feelings. Right?"

"I guess."

Okay, not very cooperative. She could deal with it though. Perhaps she could get more response if she were to provoke him. It had worked in the past.

"Of course, if this is just a physical attraction between the two of you, there should be nothing to keep you from being intimate with her, if you were to be discreet about it. You have shared physical intimacy before, have you not?"

He was horrified. He had thought not even his adar knew about his youthful indiscretions. Though it was not uncommon, nor outlawed for elves to occasionally have a mate outside of wedlock, it was frowned upon by most and because of his high status, there would have been serious repercussions had his father found out. But now that the truth was out, he might as well be honest. So he shrugged

"Yes, I have shared the pleasures of the flesh once or twice, but in those cases my heart was not involved and it was clear to my partners of choice. It was pleasant and consensual, but nothing more."

He glanced at the elf maiden, than gulped out: "It is this time. A lot more. And since she is a princess and I am still a prince, I cannot engage in any such pleasures without a bonding and I do not want it. I would not want her to think she is nothing more than a bed-warmer to me."

"Right. Thank you for clearing that up. Now for the heart of the problem: could this work out?"

"I wish I knew. It is so difficult. If I bind myself to her, I will one day have to face the inevitability of her death. It will leave me broken and I will perish with grief. Not a happy thought. No offense, Arwen."

"None taken. I have made my choice and even though so far there is no doubt in my mind it was the right one for me, that does not mean I am totally oblivious to my fate. I just try not to let it weigh me down. My time on this earth is here and now, with my husband and our children. The future will happen regardless and we all might as well accept it."

"Are you not afraid?"

She lifted one delicate eyebrow and eyed him incredulously as if asking him wherever he came up with a redundant question like that.

"Of course I am. Do not ever think I am not. But every night as I kiss Estel goodnight and every morning as he wakes up next to me, I bless the days I am able to spend at his side. He is worth the sacrifices I have made and that is what matters."

He remained silent, mulling her words over. She interrupted him. "Legolas…what do you think would happen now if you were to walk away from her?"

"That is not even an option. I cannot for all the wisdom of Valinor walk away. Her pull right now is even stronger than the call of the waves. I would all but fade if I would never set sight on her again."

"So either you will perish right here and now of a broken heart because you will not allow yourself to take your chances and as a result you will never know how her love can enrich your life…or you will perish years from now when she dies of old age, but at least you will have had the pleasure of her love and maybe that of your offspring. Your life will have had its meaning and your children will be proof of your existence even if your own is over."

He gave a cynical snort. "You make it sound so easy."

"It is not. It is anything but. But a choice has to be made nonetheless, mellon-nin. And you can not now afford to dwell on it for years. Do not forget: her days are now."

She prepared to descent but before she did, she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Legolas, she is a fine woman, strong and smart. If she loves you, she will make a good wife. If anyone should be worth the sacrifice, she is the one."

Gracefully she dropped back on the mossy earth, hardly rustling the leaves as she did so. She turned and looked up at him.

"Whatever you decide, I wish nothing more than for you to be happy. Regret not what you did, but what you failed to do. I bid you goodnight, dear Legolas."

"Arwen?" She smiled at him as he called her back.

"Hannon-le, mellon-nin."

"You are most welcome."

He stayed in the tree for a few more moments, weary and tired by the gravity of the choices that now dominated his near future. Then, resigning to his fate, he climbed down and thanked his host for the hospitality.

With a step that was considerably heavier than usual, he entered the palace and went upstairs with the intention to go straight up to his room. However, as he passed hers on his way, his body had stopped before he could command it to move forward. Her door was closed, but his ears picked up her even breathing, indicating the depth of her slumber. For a moment, he begrudged her the ability to let go, but then he found himself whisper a soft goodnight.

"Sweet dreams meleth-nin. How I wish to dwell in them."

Shaking his head at his lovesick behavior, he quickly resumed his path, hoping none had heard or seen him lingering at her door.

Inside, he undressed and crawled between the cool sheets and though peace of mind still eluded him, he forced himself to lay perfectly still, allowing at least his body to rest in relative comfort.

He would give her archery lessons, he decided, as he hated breaking a promise. He would maintain his friendship with her and take it from there. Even if Theawyn did not have all the time in the world, he would not go about things in haste.

After all, he might be wrong about her. Or she might be reluctant to bond with him because of their differences. Or maybe she would not even consider leaving Rohan for good. She loved her home, despite of her frequent clashes with her father and to leave her twin behind would be a terrible thing to ask of her. So even if he would make up his mind about what he wanted to do, that did not necessarily mean she would want to, regardless of her love for him. If she indeed loved him. Please, by the Valar, let this night come to an end. He was driving himself mad!

_One more chapter coming along right away..._


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: **As promised, here's one more chapter. Usual disclaimers apply.

**Chapter 8:**

Exactly like a week before, Theawyn stood in front of a mirror assessing her looks. Today would be her first archery lesson with Legolas and she would not come unprepared. If it were up to her, and it was, the hunt was on and it would have little to nothing to do with shooting arrows. In fact, the only arrow she was remotely interested in was the one aimed directly at the elf's heart. And even though she was not sure her outfit would benefit her skills with a bow, they were not meant to be. They were merely there to aide her in an entirely different way.

Her leggings were torn on the right leg, just underneath her firm buttocks. Nothing too atrocious, nothing that would put her royal ancestors to shame, but rather a more subtle, teasing sight. She pulled her tunic over her head. It was an old one, a tad too tight around the bosom, and somehow the lace that pulled the deep V-neckline together had been misplaced. Odd. Oh well, she had no time to look for it now. She could not keep him waiting.

She put her feet into her favorite boots (the ones that showed the lean muscles of her calves so well) and decided to let her hair hang loose as a golden waterfall. Perfect. Not too overdone, but it would get a point across, or so she hoped.

Pretending to come across more self-assured than she actually felt, she headed out to the training fields, finding him already there, setting up targets and arranging different types and sizes of bows and arrows, carefully checking each of them before filling the quivers. She knew better than to disturb him during preparations and she was sure he was well aware of her presence already.

His greeting confirmed that suspicion. "Good morning Theawyn. Are you ready for your archery class?"

"Good morning to you too Legolas. And yes, I am as ready as I can possibly be."

"Very well. Come here and let me show you the bows so we can pick the right one for you." He turned to her and to her satisfaction, he glanced over her with an appreciation he was not quick enough to hide. To Theawyn, it seemed like she had already hit her target point blank.

She approached him at a leisurely pace, enabling him to look his fill, which again, he quite obviously did. He even seemed to swallow. Twice.

When he opened his mouth again, his voice sounded rather strained. Theawyn bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing. She had him right where she wanted him and she did no longer care if he knew exactly what she was thinking. Here is a thought for you, dear Legolas. I have only one target and he happens to be standing right on front of me.

The elf however, amused and shocked as he might be by her somewhat provocative attire, was not that easy to haul in. Much to her chagrin and dismay, he did not drop at her feet drooling. Remaining quiet and composed, he handed her different bows, finally deciding on one. He nodded and gave her a quiver with some arrows, showing her how to strap it onto her back.

As she struggled, he suddenly beckoned her. "Theawyn, come here for a moment, please."

She stepped within his reach and out of nowhere he produced a leather strap. For a moment she thought he might ask her to lace up her tunic, but instead, he motioned her to turn her back to him. He then pulled her hair together and with quick fingers braided it.

"Rule number one for beginning archers: braid your hair as to keep it out of the way. Disentangling arrows from your hair can be rather painful and sometimes the only way to do that is to cut it off. I would not want you to have to do that. You have amazing hair."

"Thank you. But…your hair is loose."

"I keep it away from my face and eh…I am hardly a novice. But believe me, in my early days, I had to endure a lot of involuntary haircuts. And let me tell you one thing: attending a banquet dinner like the one last week is even harder when you look like you hired an orc as a hairdresser."

She laughed at that, trying to picture him as a young boy with huge chunks being cut away from his pretty hair.

"Now, let me show you the right posture to start with."

She mimicked his stance, studied the way he notched an arrow and the way he flexed his bow until it would not yield any further. Then she tried to aim for the target a few yards away from her. It was an ominous miss. She pouted. Legolas just smiled his infuriating superior smirk.

"Do not be so hasty, dear Thea. You were way out of balance. Here, let me help you."

She wanted to comment on the use of the abbreviation of her name, telling him how only Theodred had a right to do so, but all thoughts flew away from her brain as soon as he stepped in close behind her. His arm stretched out along hers and his hand covered her own as together, they flexed her bow. His voice was nothing but a husky whisper in her ear as he spoke to her, guided her.

"Okay, let your feet point into the direction of the target. Line up for your target, try and calculate its distance before your arrow takes flight. Now concentrate."

Concentrate? How on earth could she concentrate? She could not even breathe while he was holding her this close.

"Thea…focus on the target. Right now, that is not me."

Damn the elf! She hated him and the way he read her mind! Assembling all her pent up frustration, she let go of the arrow as he let go of her arm. It hit the target with a sound thud, a few inches from the bulls-eye.

"Very good. Now, remain standing like that and look down at your feet." She did as she was told and saw she had again lost her balance somewhat, straying the arrow off its path. She nodded to indicate she understood.

"Try again."

Her next try landed in the bulls-eye and she let out a whoop of joy.

"I got it!"

"Well done, dear Theawyn. But one true strike does not make one an archer. Next, you will learn to take out targets further away from you, and moving targets as well. An orc will not stand perfectly still so you can strike him. And you will have to pick up some speed, aim while running, and maybe even while sitting on horseback. This is just the beginning."

"I know, I know, I am not stupid. But you will not begrudge me my little victory here."

He grinned and retrieved the arrows. "I will not. Hitting the target at a second try without guidance is exceptional. And I am not saying that to appease you either."

"Thank you, Legolas."

"I only give compliments when you deserve them, you should know that by now. Oh, and by the way: this will be the last time I retrieve your arrows for you. Every archer is responsible for his or her own arrows. Understood?"

"Yes, grumpy", she muttered beneath her breath as he walked over to the table. Without looking back, he responded.

"I heard that, another thing you should know by now."

"I do not care if you heard. And you are grumpy!"

He did not answer. He was not grumpy! And even if he was, that was her own fault. He was merely caught off guard by her…her…just by her.

How many identities did she have anyway? So far, he had met the rebellious kings-daughter, the kind niece of a friend, the confused little girl, the eager student, the formal representative of her father's kingdom…and now?

He did not know how to describe it. Eager student she might appear to be, she was eager to learn a lot more than archery by the look of things and by the Valar he was fighting an inner battle with himself as his male weakness desperately wanted to be the one to teach her, to explore everything there was to learn about love. His more sensible self, the one who supposedly possessed the wisdom of the Eldar, was quickly losing his footing and was holding on by a thread.

So yes, he was grumpy. In his nearly three thousand years of age no lady, elven or not, had ever had this effect on him and if his confusion at the speed with which this little vixen had stolen his heart made him grumpy, then so be it. He did not care, he had other things on his mind.

Legolas walked purposefully back to her and handed her a canteen.

"Freshen up, the hard training has yet to come. You wish to continue?"

"Of course."

"Very well. Help me move the targets further away."

She did as he bid her to do. The next hour or so, she aimed and fired at least a hundred arrows, trying further distances every time. Her arm was sore and her fingertips were bleeding, but she grimly refused to yield to either her growing fatigue or to the increasingly more demanding elf. Her idea of using this lesson for her own benefit had somehow during the hours that had passed, changed into pure survival of the fittest and between the two of them, that was not her.

When yet another quiver was emptied (at her third or fourth, she had stopped keeping count), she had almost no energy left to walk to the target to pick up the strewn arrows and when she bent over to grab one that had missed its target, a sharp pain shot through her calf as it cramped. She lost balance and fell onto the moss covered ground, wincing in pain.

"Thea!" He had seen her fall and guilt clouded his eyes as he ran over to examine the damage. He had pushed her too far and he had not seen it. He should have known she was too pigheaded to give up as he took his general confusion out on the one who was the cause of it.

"Thea, are you alright? Do you need a healer? Let me take a look!"

Before she could voice any kind of objection, he had already unlaced her boot and now carefully removed it from her foot.

"Legolas, do not fuss. It is only a cramp. I shall live."

"No need to feign strength. I can tell you are hurting. Please, let me help you."

Incredibly warm, unfairly gentle hands began a slow massage and Theawyn gulped at the sheer tenderness of his touch. A wave of shame and repulsion at her actions crashed over her. Here he was, her friend, this incredible, beautiful, gentle soul; a noble elf, like herself born into a royal family and she had trampled over him like a mare in heat. He had done nothing to deserve it, had given her no reason to reduce him to a toy. Would he ever want to have anything to do with her again?

Remaining focused on the task at hand, he answered.

"Sweet Thea, it is not you who should bear the burden of guilt or shame, but I. You were right, I was grumpy and I punished you for it. I totally disregarded your stamina and your safety and that is unforgivable. My deepest, most profound apologies, fair lady."

His blue eyes looked up to her and for one shocking moment, she could read his mind as well as he could hers. One of his hands left her leg and instead pulled a stray lock of hair from her eyes, ending the gesture in a gentle caress of her cheek.

"You confuse me, my brave little warrior, like no other has done before you. I do not yet know what to do with the feelings you so effortlessly stir in me and I beg you to go easy on me."

"What does that mean? Will you not practice with me any more?"

He smiled at the horror in her voice.

"We will practice if that is what you wish. But we both know we cannot ignore what we are feeling for each other much longer and if you keep showing up for practice looking like you do now…elves consider bonding in the physical meaning of the word as important as taking wedding vows and despite some…indiscretions in my past, I have long ago lost my wild hairs and I no longer take any bonding lightly. Do you understand?"

"I understand I can not seduce you and have my way with you right here and now and I am sorry if I ever knowingly or unknowingly gave you the impression that that was what I wanted. You fascinate me and confuse me too, Legolas. But you are first and foremost my friend and I would never dream of doing you wrong."

"Then you understand we will have to keep our distance until my heart and mind are aligned again?"

"I understand. But promise me one thing, Legolas?"

"Anything."

"Once you make up your mind…"

"You shall be the first to know. Now come, let us get you back to the palace. A warm bath would do both of us some good."

"Please, Legolas, you had better not read my thoughts right now."

He helped her up and waited until she had put on her boot again, smiling as he saw the glint of mischief in her eyes.

"Believe me, sweet Thea…I do not need to. And I did plan for us to use separate bathrooms."

Laughing together, they reached the palace. A few moments later, Theawyn gratefully let herself sink into a warm bathtub, her thoughts again with the elf who had, in some fashion, confessed he had feelings for her. And though she did not blame him for being confused (as she was too), she wished with all her heart he would come to a decision soon. And that it would be the right one. For the both of them. She would perish if she would lose him now.

Inside his own room (he had a permanent guest room at Eowyn's and Faramir's palace for all those moments he would never make it to his own home in a fashionable time), Legolas sighed while he himself took a bath. The idea Theawyn was also naked in a tub somewhere across the hall did nothing to help him relax.

Groaning, he stepped out and toweled himself off. He had heard Gimli would be joining them for dinner and the thought of seeing his friend cheered him up a lot. And maybe the dwarf would even be able to distract him from the turmoil in his heart. And from the fact Theawyn had excused herself from joining them, saying she was too tired. He sighed when he heard that. She was already avoiding him. Was this the way things were to be?

_Like it? Let me know, inflate my ego (hey, that rhymes). Not like it? Hell, there's a whole forum for that ;-)_


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: **Undisturbed by some bad reviews and comments, here I go again. Usual disclaimers apply.

**Chapter 9:**

So they trained and sparred like normal good friends for a week or two. Theawyn, now more considerate of Legolas' feelings, wore a less revealing attire and did not provoke unnecessary physical contact, though it was not easy.

Legolas on his side, still regularly complimented her as she was definitely making good progress in both sword fighting and archery, but he too kept a polite distance. It worked, though it had a rather unsuspected downside. One they had not considered.

So caught up had they both been by their obvious sexual attraction, they had not taken all that much time to become just friends. But by putting their lust on the backburner, their emotional bond grew as they found out they could talk and laugh for hours and generally be quite happy in the other one's company. And while both of them had hoped it would make them forget about the physical heat flaring up between them, somehow their deepening friendship only added another dimension to the other one's attractiveness.

Neither knew how much longer they could pretend. Legolas for one knew the time he made a final decision came uncomfortably close. His discussion up in the tree with Arwen had reduced his options to two, but somehow the choice his heart wanted him to make was a rather scary thought for his mind to wrap itself around.

He was an elf, he had been surrounded by them and only them for most of his life, Estel being the first of the race of mankind he had let close to him. But though he loved him like a brother, it was nothing like the force driving him to Theawyn over and over again. But as an elf, when he had been thought about bonding and the moral rules set by his own kind, nothing and nobody had warned him he could fall for a mortal. The thought had apparently never even crossed his father's or his teacher's minds, for now he was left to deal with it himself.

Any rules he had learned, whether already broken long time ago or not, were of no value now. Bonding for eternity would now be reduced to bonding for her lifetime. Going to Valinor together would never happen and he would probably die of a broken heart before ever getting a chance of sailing away himself.

His only example of this working out was Estel and Arwen, but he was still ever so much reluctant to see what would happen to the Evenstar if her husband, make that when her husband would pass on. He had always been very much in favor of their love, had always supported their choice, but now┘he had never wanted to face the possibility of one day having to make the same choice for himself.

And yet┘and yet┘he knew all his worrying was of no meaning. He knew his mind had been made up long time ago, probably even before his talk with Arwen, whether he was ready to admit it or not. This was not about making choices, coming to a decision, this was about accepting the choice his heart had already made. Accepting and acting.

He sighed. It was pointless to fight the inevitable. He accepted what fate had in store for him. Then he smiled. At least the next few years, his life would be filled with joy and wonder. And with Theawyn. If she was not tired of waiting already. She did not have all the time in the world after all.

With a grim smile he reminded himself that, now that his choice was made┘neither had he. Oh well, what was an eternal life anyway if it was a lonely one? Determination written on his face, he set out to find her. To tell her.

Meanwhile, as the day had started out rainy and rather chilly, a bored Theawyn had retreated to the library to try and find out more about her elven heritage. She was now scanning through several books, sprawled out on the floor with herself perched in the middle. To her surprise, she found out her elven blood came from both sides of the family. Her mother's elven bloodline she had known about, but the fact her great grandmother on father's side, Morwen, was also a descendant from the princes of Dol Amroth...she might be more elvish than she thought. Maybe it would mean she were to live a longer life than most humans. A longer life to spend with Legolas, if the stubborn creature would ever make up his mind.

Sometimes, mostly during her lonely nights, she feared the time he would actually come to a decision. Positive as she tried to be during the day, it were during those dark hours as she lay sleepless, her mind would start to play tricks on her.

She would see him approach her, with pain and regret etched on his handsome features. She would hear his words, hear him tell her he could not, would not risk his immortal life for a few years with her. He would kiss her goodbye and leave her forever. And though her heart rejected this option, her mind told her it was still a very possible conclusion for him to come to and that she could not even blame him if he did. But she would. It would kill her.

So yes, sometimes she wished she could just stick her head into the sand and continue the way they were now. Friends. But even though it was something she valued, even though his company was one she would always seek out, their current situation was so frustrating. She was put on a diet while her favorite food was right there on display and all she was allowed to do was look. How much longer would it take him to put her out of her misery, one way or the other?

"There you are. What are you doing in this dusty library when the sun has come up?"

She was so engrossed in both her thoughts and the documents spread out all around her, she had not heard him come in. As usual.

"I guess I was so busy finding out about my heritage I had not noticed the weather had improved."

She looked outside the window and indeed found a bright sun. Legolas smiled and vacated a spot on the floor to sit down next to her.

"Anything interesting coming up?"

"Actually yes, look here, my father's family tree"

She showed him the point where her father's elven heritage became apparent as well as her mother's. Her enthusiasm was heartwarming and in an instance he knew his heart had been right. Even though it would not be forever, this lady would make him so very happy indeed.

"Very nice. You are of good blood, dear one. You might be blessed with long years."

"I hope I am. I think."

"Why the doubts? Why would you not want to live many a year?"

"A long life is only worth it if one can spend it with loved ones."

Now how much more obvious could she make the hint? She was sick and tired of the waiting game! Legolas grinned and stood, stretching out his hand to help her up.

"Let us leave the dust and seek out the sun."

"Will we resume training?"

He shook his head, still smiling.

"Nay, eager student of mine. Today, we will take a break from our efforts. Today is a day for treats, for relaxation, for some fun. Come┘I have a plan."

She followed him out without questioning. Legolas was too good at keeping secrets to try and pry his plan out of him. Outside, he walked into the open fields behind the gardens. It was a beautiful sight to behold, but after a few moments of total inactivity she could not help but question him.

"Legolas, is this your plan? Just standing here?"

"Patience, sweet Thea. And no, it is not. In fact, we are going for a ride."

Jeez, she could have come up with a plan like that! Why the mystery? And what were they doing in the open field if they had yet to fetch the horses and the stables were on the other end of the palace?

As usual, the answer came before she formulated the question.

"We do not need either Arod or Albion."

He explained no further, just let out a soft whistle. For moments, nothing seemed to happen, but then, she heard. Galloping. A few moments later, well after Legolas' satisfied expression told her he had seen what was coming, she saw it too. Though she did not believe her eyes. She blinked, but the creature kept coming closer. This surely could not be...

"Aye, but it is." Legolas whispered in her ear.

The horse approached them, cautious but not scared. Legolas spoke to it in an almost singing elvish tone, caressing the animal's soft nose. As he patted Shadowfax, he explained his appearance to a still shell shocked Theawyn.

"When Gandalf set sail to the Undying Lands, he had a choice to either take Shadowfax with him or to let him roam freely. He chose the latter. Now, used as he is to our proximity, he shows himself sometimes and arrives to our aide whenever either me, Aragorn or Faramir needs him. He only answers to the three of us. Now, let me ask him if he is willing to go for a ride."

"But Legolas...no other horse could keep up with him. How will we ride?"

Ignoring her question, Legolas again whispered soft elvish words to the steed, who indeed seemed to be nodding. Theawyn felt herself respond very quickly to the language of her beloved elf, though she had very little idea what he was speaking of. It just sounded so...so lovely. If he would talk to her like that, she would fall at his feet swooning. Oh wait...been there, done that.

Legolas smiled and flung himself on the horse's bare back. Then he held his hand out to Theawyn.

"Sweet Thea...come. Shadowfax can easily carry us both. I suggest you sit in front of me so you can enjoy the view better and I can hold you close to me so you cannot fall off."

"But how about a saddle, a brittle?"

"Elves use neither. Now come. Trust me."

"Always," was her simple reply and she allowed him to haul her up until she was snugly perched in front of him. 'A little too snugly', she thought as he wrapped one strong arm around her waist and held onto the stallion's manes with the other. Speaking again an elvish command, Shadowfax set off, increasing speed with every pound of his hooves.

Theawyn's mind was in a tailspin. The ride was exhilarating to say the least, but the proximity to Legolas' strong body as he pulled her flush against him made her head reel. She had missed this, had ached for it and he was giving it to her now.

She was a rider of the Mark and even though this was an exceptional horse and she had neither saddle nor brittle, she was too advanced a rider to just topple off any horse's back. There was no need for him to hold her so closely, but she had not voiced an objection.

But this ride came with a consequence. All bets were off, the game was open again. He could not in his right mind assume she would be taking the mandatory three steps away from him again after this little ride? He had better made up his mind by now, cause hers surely was!

She would never again let go of him, nor would she allow him to ever let go of her. So wrapped up was she in her thoughts, she had not noticed Shadowfax had come to a halt.

"Little dreamer...it is time for a rest."

He jumped off the bare back of the animal and reached up to help her down. Again, she did not need the help but to allow herself to be dropped into his open waiting arms? She could pretend. So she feigned a rather clumsy dismount from Shadowfax, forcing Legolas to catch her fall. Holding her a little longer than needed, he carefully set her on the ground, his eyes showing he was on to her, but did not mind playing along.

"Come, let us sit down underneath that tree and have a bite to eat. I brought lembas just in case."

Sure, just in case. Whatever, she could keep on the pretence for a while. She obediently sat down and wanted to rest her head against the trunk of the old oak he had guided her to, but Legolas beat her to it. Settling his back comfortably against the thick trunk, he gathered her in his arms until she was reclining against his chest, as comfortable as she would ever be in her life. A hand appeared in front of her, holding some lembas and she took it with a smile.

They said nothing for a while, just enjoying the feel of being this close to the other one, without questioning their breech of conduct.

Legolas was the first to speak up.

"I think you and I should make a trip soon."

"A trip? Whereto?"

"To Rohan."

"To Rohan? What business do you have in Rohan?"

"First, there is the trading matter your father wanted to make with Aragorn, which also concerns Ithilien, plus I have yet to meet the rest of your family accept for your twin, plus I think your father would very much appreciate if I were to ask him a certain question in person."

"What question?" She turned in his arms to look at him.

"Can you not guess? What could be important enough for me to want to speak to your father directly and privately?"

"Just answer the question. You are making me nervous. What do you wish to discuss with my father?"

He did not answer, only smiled warmly at her. Then, out of the blue, he bent his head and captured her lips with his own in a sweet, way too short kiss. Then, almost regally, he proclaimed:

"I wish to ask Eomer, King of Rohan, for the hand of his daughter Theawyn in marriage."

He grinned at her stunned face, then proceeded to kiss the sudden stream of tears from her face as her brain finally caught up with her thumping heart.

"But first, I wish to know from said daughter if she wishes to be wed with this common elf."

She smiled through her tears. "Common you are not, my love. And yes, I wish nothing more than to be wed to you. I love you, Legolas."

"Le melon, sweet Thea." He answered in Sindarin and even though she did not know the language, his words made perfect sense to her. Then he kissed her deeply and as she reacted greedily no words were needed for a long time...

Another chapter to come right away.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

It was a very happy couple which returned to the palace that same evening. Faramir and Eowyn needed no explanation when their niece and their elven friend appeared in front of them, holding hands and glowing with happiness and love.

Indeed, Eowyn had seen this coming for weeks. The moment she had found Theawyn locked in a staring contest with Legolas, she had had the feeling those two would somehow form a bond between them, though back then she could only hope it would be a positive one.

She had watched them from then on, unnoticed by either one of them as their focus was directly and solely fixed on the other one. She followed their gracious moves as they sparred with both weapons and words, forming a connection more endurable than their mutual admiration for displayed skills. Yes, Theawyn had reminded her of herself in the days of the war, minus the feeling of utter despair hanging about her.

Years ago, while settling down with her husband and carrying her son, she had asked Legolas, the most silent one of the Fellowship, what he had thought about her wish to be included in the war, since he had never as much as voiced an opinion in those days. He had shrugged and smiled.

"Your reasons to fight were as justified as any others and your skills to do so surpassed most. But the war is over, Eowyn and so should be your fighting days. Rejoice in the fact those days have passed."

She had wanted to protest, wanted to ask him what her role in life would be if not a warrior. Of what use she would be without her sword. She need not voice her concerns.

He had put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a look of understanding only an ancient being could give you.

"It is not one's armor that one should be judged by. It is the way you stand your ground without it┘and no man would be fool enough to ever underestimate your strength, my lady."

It was then at that very moment she had finally let go of the shield maiden of Rohan in order to embrace her role as the princess of Ithilien. And she would be forever grateful to the ageless elf.

Though it was hard to imagine that the silent, pensive being was the same creature as the one standing in front of them, a smile on his perfect lips and his hand holding onto her niece as if she were his only lifeline. The Prince of Mirkwood, head over heels in love, was a sight to behold.

Theawyn scraped her throat as she tried to come up with some kind of poetic way to describe her state of mind. Instead, when she opened her mind, all that came out was a blurted:

"Legolas proposed!"

Smiling broadly, Faramir approached them, feigning confusion.

"Legolas proposed? Proposed what, dear Theawyn?"

Then, the elf let go of her hand and bowed in front of the prince of Ithilien.

"Though your permission is not needed, I would still ask for your blessing as prince of this fair country for our union."

Faramir's teasing smirk soon became a genuine smile, though somewhat bewildered. He too bowed gracefully.

"Between equals, there is no need for formalities, my friend. We are happy to give you our blessing and wish you a happy life together. I say, tonight you shall dine with us and we shall have us a small celebration."

He clasped his friend's shoulder. "Let us go and prepare ourselves for dinner so that our ladies can do the same."

As her uncle and her fiancé (Legolas, her fiancé, who would have thought?) left the main hall and she and her aunt headed for their rooms, Theawyn finally asked the question she had been dreading.

"Aunt Eowyn...what if father will not give us permission? Legolas wants us to ride to Rohan soon to ask father for my hand in marriage, but I am very afraid he will find reasons not to grant us his blessing."

Eowyn sat her nervous niece down on a chair and pulled up one for herself. Forcing the young girl to look into her eyes, she tried to calm her.

"Theawyn...your father is a just man, who has witnessed a lot and learned the hard way that some things are not what they seem to be. But he also learned of true love, endurance and friendships. He will undoubtedly see the tribulations you will have to face in a bonding as unusual as yours will be, but his friendship with Legolas, though rocky, is also very real and they have the highest regards for each other. And he loves you, dear child. Stubborn as you are, stubborn as he is, you are his blood and his love is as eternal as it is unconditional. Darling, Eomer will not withhold what you desire most. He never could."

Feeling a little more relieved, she nodded. "Thank you, aunt Eowyn."

She laughed. "Imagine I was mad at father for sending me out here, I thought he meant to punish me. But you made my stay a wonderful one and I thank you again. But even with your help, never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the gift he has given me."

The women embraced, before Eowyn left for her own room to change for dinner.

The week after that was filled with intimate celebrations as Gimli, Aragorn and Arwen were informed. All of them were happy for the beaming couple and when Arwen glanced his way, Legolas mouthed a soft hannon-le to her, only for her elven ears to pick up. She smiled at him as she could see both his heart and mind had made peace with the darker side of his upcoming union.

The nights were hard on the would-be lovers as their attraction grew, but they remained strong. Legolas would not bond himself to her physically until their vows were spoken. Though he admitted his self-control was wavering more and more with every kiss they stole, every caress of her soft hands, every teasing touch, which said a lot considering he was an almost three-thousand year old firstborn.

Exactly a week after his proposal, they saddled up for the ride to Rohan. Though neither expected any problems, they took two warriors of Gondor with them (which also showed they came with blessing of King Elessar) and both packed their weapons.

Eowyn, Faramir, Gimli, Aragorn and Arwen were all there to see them off and they embraced all of them. Aragorn took Legolas aside for a moment, handing him a note.

"If Eomer shows any doubts about your union with his child, give him this."

He would not say more and Legolas took the letter without questioning the contents. After a rather tearful goodbye, the four riders set out to the land of the horsemen.

They rode for several days on end, making good progress. The trip remained rather uneventful, though they did squabble about which one of them shot the rabbit (since their arrows were identical) they had for dinner and his constant fussing with blankets and bedrolls during the cold nights. They slept rather far apart, not just because of their companions, but mainly because of what might happen between them despite of said companions.

Early morning of the sixth day finally brought them the view they had longer for as they approached the Rohan border. Immediately, a man on horse could be spotted riding out to meet them. Much to her surprise, it was her brother.

"Elfwine!"

She spurred on Albion and as if he understood his master's haste, he galloped on. Brother and sister reigned in their steeds as they met and without the trouble of dismounting, Elfwine leaned over to embrace his sister.

"Theawyn, how wonderful it is to see you. I was just checking out how some of the new recruits were settling in on the border patrols when one of them spotted you. When I saw the banners from Gondor and Ithilien I knew it had to be you. Now tell me, who rides with you?"

Introducing the guards first as the entire company had caught up by now, she then nodded to Legolas.

"Elfwine, I would like you to meet Legolas, prince of Mirkwood and Lord of the elven settlement in Ithilien."

Her older brother smiled and greeted the elf as equals, but with respect in his stature and words.

"The honor of meeting one of the fellowship is all mine. My father will be pleased to welcome you to Meduseld again."

Turning to Theawyn, he added: "And he will be glad to welcome you home, dear sister. Believe it or not, you have been missed and not just by Theodred."

"As I have missed you."

Leading the way, the small company set out for the capital of Edoras, which, if they hurried, they would reach before nightfall. Suddenly, Theawyn noticed Legolas had fallen silent, a silence she did not quite like, though she did not know exactly why.

"Legolas? Are you alright?"

He nodded and tried to smile in her direction. "I am, Theawyn."

She was not convinced. "There is something troubling you and I would appreciate it if you would fill me in. We cannot be wed if you keep your anxieties from me."

He sighed, giving in. If there was one thing he had learned these past few days was that she could be pushy, lashing on and never letting go.

"Your brother welcomed you home and you seem so happy to be here."

"I am home and I am happy to be here...wait."

She caught on. Slowing down Albion's pace, she indicated he should do the same so they would put some distance between themselves and their fellow riders. When she was sure they were out of earshot from the others, she tentatively put her hand on his arm, forcing the reluctant elf to look at her. He needed to see the truth of her words in her eyes.

"Legolas, I was born here in Rohan. My family and my country are important to me, but they do no longer hold the bigger part of my heart. You do, and after the wedding, my home is with you and I will dwell happily in Ithilien or wherever else our lives will lead us to, as long as I can visit Rohan when my family needs me. Legolas...do you doubt my devotion to you already?"

He grasped the hand she had put on his arm and kissed her fingers.

"Whatever did I do to deserve a woman like you, sweet Thea? I have to admit, for a moment I had the feeling I was uprooting a tree without right by taking you away from this land and its people. But never have I doubted your love or your loyalty. And you should never doubt you have all of mine."

She laughed and after making sure they could not be seen, she quickly brushed her lips against his.

"Le melon, Legolas."

He grinned. She would have to learn a lot more Sindarin someday, but she knew the most important words already.

Elfwine turned in his saddle and urged them to keep up. Quickly, the loved ones let go of each other's hands as they had made a deal not to openly display any signs of affection within the borders of Rohan until Eomer had given his blessing to their union. And though Theawyn was quite sure she could count on her brother's discretion, she was not sure about that of their companion's. Nor of her own, come to think of it.

The first stars had just made an appearance in the sky as they reached the city boundaries of Edoras, where they were joined by an ecstatic Theodred (who shot her a knowing glance when he spotted Legolas) and Nadaul, whose enthusiasm was quickly dulled when he too caught sight of the elf.

Much to her silent glee, Legolas greeted her brother's lieutenant borderline inappropriate, staring him down while at the same time trying not to laugh as he clearly heard his fiancé mutter 'orc dung' under her breath. Ah...the joys of his elven hearing.

Without much further ado, the now accumulated seven riders reached Meduseld. A cry could be heard and moments later, two female figures became visible in the doorway. Theawyn hastily dismounted Albion and without waiting for any of her companions, ran out to both her mother and sister.

Lothiriel was openly crying when her oldest daughter hurled herself into her arms.

"Mother!"

"How I have missed you, child. Welcome home. Let me look at you."

She regarded her daughter, the headstrong, feisty, beautiful woman in front of her and what she saw both surprised and pleased her. The sad, displeasing, bored look had vanished from her features and had been replaced with a happiness that could only come from one thing: her child had found love.

And while she let go of Theawyn, who turned to embrace Reover, the queen of Rohan and mother of four cast her eyes over the rest of the companions, greeting her sons with a hug for them both, a bit awkward because of their armor, before setting her gaze on the calmly waiting man with the long hair on the white horse. As he dismounted and tilted his head toward her, she was shocked to notice he was no man but an elf.

Several realizations dawned at the same time. This elf was a prince and a legend; one of the Fellowship. He had befriended her husband. He was beautiful and ageless. And judging by the way he dared not even glance in Theawyn's direction in the presence of her mother, he was most definitely the one who had captured Theawyn's young heart.

Lothiriel plastered a warm smile on her face as she greeted the elf with the courtesy a prince was entitled to, but her heart was weary and she was sure he had noticed. She did not doubt his love for her child and having some elven blood herself she was not opposed to unions between first- and second born, but for her child to bond with such a being? To have her face all the perils that would undoubtedly come their way?

She sighed as she led the party inside, her arm linked with the oldest of her twins, while she was chattering a mile a minute about anything and everything, generally glad to be home. And not even noticing her mother's lack of answers. Her daughter was a grown woman and needed no permission to make her choices. And so she would have her blessing, since there was nothing else she could do.

She wondered what her husband would think about it.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's note:

With a big apology to all my readers (whoever you are); I have to announce I put this story on a (semi) permanent hiatus.

Why? Because of the fact it's listed as one of the worst LOTR stories ever on some community? Eh...no. Not really.

Because of some not really good reviews? Absolutely not. Even the reviews pointing things out at me are much appreciated. Really, constructive critisism makes one a better author and if I didn't believe in that, I shouldn't want to be one.

Then why? Easy: I have no idea how to proceed. My imagination for resolving the problems between an elf and a mortal in marriage has deserted me. Short of allowing her to become an elf or at least immortal by any kind of magic or giving her some never expected powers, I really don't know what to do. And allowing myself to tread that path, coming up with schemes like the ones I've described over here...now that would make me an author whose story actually deserves it's nomination.

I'm very sorry for those who were still interested, but no...I can't bring this story to an acceptable ending.

If there's one of you out there who wants to take over, send me a PM. Maybe we can work something out.

Thanks for hanging in there with me so far and I might start another story soon...one that might make more sense. ;-)

Love, AirborneGirl, a.k.a. Melanie.


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